Without A Doubt
by XXemzyXX
Summary: COMPLETE Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, always gets what he wants. But what happens when he wants a certain futuristic miko and sparks are only flying in one direction...or are they?
1. Chapter 1

The Lord of the West lies still in his bedchambers. It was a quite ungodly hour, but somehow he could not get to the land of slumber. No, he knew exactly why. He knew why his blood felt heated and his pulse quickened, his heart pounding in his ears. Kagome, yes, it was most certainly Kagome. This was far from a rare occurrence, for you see the demon noble had planned to make the little tenshi his mate for many moons now. She was perfect, so very perfect, the only female worthy of his acknowledgment and tomorrow, she would finally be his. He had spent the better part of a year preparing for her arrival and that day, just before he retired he had checked to see that everything was to his liking.

His own room had been rearranged so it would be more inviting to the future female resident. His huge futon was pushed up into the corner of the wall and adorned with the finest silks and furs in all the land. His own dresser and wardrobe were now accompanied by a smaller, more feminine pair of wooden box closets. The far left corner of the room held an inviting fire place that was situated in front of a large fur rug and two lush, lavish arm chairs where they would sit and converse. He knew she was a scholar and had already decided that it would be nice to have a more intellectual conversation with someone, for the extent of his recent social life had been minimal. On the other wall a few black throw pillows lay strewn around. He wanted every possible comfort available for her, since he had had personal experience seeing how the half-breed treated her. It was to say the least an absolutely vile display. His precious, fragile mate was made to travel an immense distance each day and was still expected to serve the boy like a bitch attending to her pup's needs. He would show her how much real demon respected and cherished their mates. Never would she have to labor all day. Never would she have to be the alpha in the family. That was his job, his job to protect her and the pups and provide for all of his packs needs. This had always been the proper role of any male, and he very much intended to keep it as such. Her main duty would be to mother his pups. Many times he caught himself fantasizing of those pups. They would need to have at least twenty just for the security of their lands. There was no need to rush, though. They would have the rest of existence to compensate for their slow start.

Since so very many of his days were spent in his study, he had had hundreds of silk pillows in all colors and designs arranged in the corner of the room nearest to his desk so that his mate would be able to be with him at all times. There would never be a reason for her to leave his side. Each day she would dress him, dine with him, converse with him, walk with him and accompany him to his bedchambers at night. He would have to time for no other female and he would make sure she sought after none other than himself. She would need to learn that he was alpha and she was to be his bitch, which meant following and obeying his every command. He had also bought some lavender and jasmine candles to place in the corner of the study that was now designated to her. They were very soothing, and he would make sure his mate never felt anything other than happy and serene. They paled, though, in comparison to her own scent which was some unearthly blend of sakura blossoms, jasmine and fresh spring rain. It was like an aphrodisiac, it intoxicated him.

He had had the room across the hall from his own redecorated into a large nursery for the pups his bitch was bound to bare him. The walls had been painted as a mural by one of the finest artists in all of Japan. They depicted an open grassy field with long blades of different grasses swaying in the wind under a blue starlight sky. On the far wall was a down-scaled painting of himself in true form towering protectively over his intended mate. The left side of the room was lined with ten individual cradles, each made of dark mahogany wood that was situated low to the ground in a small square-like figure. A fine hand had-woven blanket each depicting a separate nature scene adorned each bed along with a small, white silk pillow. The opposite wall held an unusually large storage table which he had already taken the liberty to have filled with clothes, basins and other essentials. In the back corner was a large rocking chair situated alongside of a small child-sized futon with deep navy sheets and silk pillows. He had hand-picked many of the finest toys in the west for his future pups and they now rested in a large wooden toy chest with paws carved into the sides. On top of the chest sat a few choice books that he intended to have read to the pups once they were old enough, for no pup of his would grow up to be ignorant. Yes, he could see her now, sitting in the rocking chair with their first born heir singing softly while he lie across the hall listening, waiting for her to come an accompany him to bed for the evening. He had seen her sitting with the little kitsune on many a night. It seemed that she acted as his foster mother, and from what he saw she was fiercely protective. This pleased him greatly for he knew his pups would be safe with her.

The dinning room had under gone only minor changes seeing as the only preparation was having a small feminine chair carved of dark wood and placed next to his on the left side. This was of course the customary position for ones bitch and he respected the tradition. He loved her inner fire, her defiance was after all what drew him to her in the first place, but she would have to learn to be subservient to him, especially in the presence of the other lords. Usually being unsubmissive was a trait scorned in any bitch, but this was an exception. He had always viewed the ladies of the royal court as dim and having nothing to offer but a meager amount of beauty. His intended had a mind of her own and was not one to bend easily under any circumstances…the challenge would be a welcome one. He had already long ago, when he decided that she would be his, known that she would never stop thinking for herself but that was just another thing he loved about her.

The lord had hand-picked nearly 500 fine, silk kimonos for his intended mate. She would need to abandon her current attire, for it showed much more of her then he was willing to share with any other. He had also purchased many sleeping kimonos, a silken robe, many silk slippers, a few training outfits and obis in varying colors. If she was to be the lady of the Western lands, she must be dressed as such. Sighing, he knew he would give her anything she asked of him. She was his one true weakness, but for some odd reason this information didn't infuriate him as it usually would. No, she would not be a weakness. She was the strongest female had ever met, the only female to ever face him in battle or look him in the eye. She had proved herself worthy of his heart many times over until it was to such an undeniable point that the lord acted upon the urges. It was all he could do to wait for his forthcoming opportunity.

From his many frequent, unknown visits to the small rag-tag group he had found that his love enjoyed greatly the relaxation brought upon her by hot, cleansing water. With this information he had expanded his own private hot springs. The spring itself was now sectioned. The far left held an enormous tiled pool of gradually deepening ice cold water. The middle held a similar pool, yet this one contained warm water. And the far right held a pool of steaming water. He had taken the liberty to place a giant stained glass window depicting him and his future lover in human form on the east and west walls. The eastern portrait was set in the sunlight and the western was set in the starlight. These two portals to the outside world served to fully light the room and reflected the sun off the shimmering ripples of the crystal clear water. Aside from his usual male bathing essentials he had gotten many lotions and shampoos for his woman. He had also bought many cakes of lightly scented soap and perfumes. It would not do to have her naturally enticing drown out by the obnoxious odor of false life. A large pile of fluffy drying clothes were stacked next to their matching black bathing robes. Yes, he was quite sure that his little mating gift would be well received.

The library in the east wing had always been one of his favorite rooms, for the simple reason that he spent so much of his life there. He knew that his intended could, write and even do mathematics. She was in fact, was the only bitch he knew (and that was quite a considerable amount) that had these abilities. He had sat silently in the upper branches of the god tree and watched her read, very well, to her adopted pup. That would be a great indulgence for the pups of their own. Aside from that, he would be able to keep her occupied through his work without having to suffer constant interruptions. He had brought in a few, nicer futon couches, shams and pillows for the space. His mate would have only the best.

The granite walls had been painted a light off-white color, as was the ceiling. Scattered sakura blossoms blowing in the wind were depicted upon them and matched well with the light colored wooden floor. Everything any woman could ever need had been supplied in abundance, with the exception of a futon for he wanted her with him during the nights. He had already warned all of his male servants to stay away from what was his. Sesshomaru was a very jealous Youkai. She would be allowed no contact with males outside of himself, for he wanted to make it clear to her who she belonged to. Especially, she would have no further relationship with his worthless half-breed brother. It was honestly beyond him as to how she had put up with that over-grown pup as long as she did. Did she not see how superior he was to the runt? He growled darkly, remembering a conversation that he had over heard between his bitch and the slayer. She had said that Inuyasha's dog antics were 'cute'. Had she not seen this Sesshomaru in his true form? Recalling the day in his father's tomb he resigned himself to the fact that she did not seen overly impressed. Her face had only held love and concern for her precious mutt. Someday, someday soon, he would be the object of those affections.

His garden had always been beautiful and serene, but knowing how his pet loved the tender blossoms he had had many thousands of blossoms brought to the virgin earth. In his mind's eye he saw the two of them walking together after a quiet dinner, conversing about the world and its charms. He would show her how a true goddess lived, for that was her status, that of a heavenly goddess. Yes, it was clear, even to himself that he was in irrevocable and undeniable love with the tenshi. Though he knew he would have to be stern with her, not show her how she affected him. Things like this ensured that he would always maintain dominance which was a high priority to him, along with being faithful. That word really hit home with the demon lord. He could still see clearly his mother's tear-stained face when the news of his father taking a new, mortal mate came to her. She was never the same. It frustrated him to no end how his father would preach inuyoukai beliefs to him, yet completely abandon them when it came to his own affairs. Long ago he had vowed to have no other once his mate had been chosen. No whore, servant, concubine, prostitute or servant would be good enough for him. Only his beautiful tenshi would do.

Considering that she would need to appear at his side during all public appearances, he had traded some crops to the nearby village for a fair amount of high quality jewelry. None of the accessories were large or gaudy, though. He wished for no hindrance to distract him from the natural radiance that was her. Even if she was a mortal, she was divine. No, she was not a mortal, but a powerful miko, and from all his research on the subject he had learned that there was a large difference between a miko and a priestess. While a priestess was gifted with holy power, a true miko had a holy soul. That was another thing that separated her from his half-brother's dead bitch. She was a miko, while the other wench had only been a priestess. Their combined power would produce incredibly strong pups, and their joining would provide her with a life span equal to his own. Even in the next life she would still be his. The one and only thing that bothered him about their coupling was the fact that traditionally an inuyoukai male was to ask the father of his chosen mate for the rights of courtship. But, seeing as he had never seen any sign of a father he would not have that opportunity.

Like all of the other lord's mates, she would wear his collar as well as his mark. A sign to all demons that she was taken, but instead of making a new one he had rummaged through box after box of family heirlooms to find the one that was given to his mother. It was exactly how had remembered it to be, a thick black leather with small crimson and sapphire gems spaced evenly around the outside. A silverfish-blue crescent moon, the family insignia, dangled from a small silver hook in the front. He knew she would look just as exquisite as his own mother with it fastened about her graceful, elegant neck for eternity.

Being a Youkai, he had no idea what human women ate so he had bought some of everything just to be safe. An assortment of yellow, green and red apples, black berries, raspberries, blueberries, red currant, citrus, flour, sugar, drinking water, wines, rums, brandy, pork, chicken, fish, rabbit, beef, all sorts of spices, tomatoes, carrots, beans, cucumber, heads of lettuce and much more was stocked in the kitchen cupboards. He made a mental note to ask her what she preferred for her meals. She would need to be strong and healthy in order to bare him powerful pups.

When he wasn't working, he spent much time in his personal dojo. Thinking ahead he had expanded it so that he would have a space to teach his mate some defense tactics. It was true that she was very powerful, but she would need much more than raw power alone to stand strong against Youkai of this level. They would be able to spar and train together instead of in intervals. She would learn from the best, himself of course.

All the weapons he had owned were suited for the use of men, so he had had special arrangements made for female weapons for his tenshi. The first was bow, which he already knew she was proficient with, that was carved from the slender bow of a cherry-wood tree and enforced with a thick, hand-woven sting. The arrows that accompanied the instrument were also made of cherry-wood and have rare metal heads that would easily pierce any target. He had a sword sized for her; a golden hilt accentuated with gems was attached to a thin, feminine blade. A set of two small twin daggers were with the rest. A black velvet pouch held light-weight throwing stars so she could use them and exert less effort in the process. The lord was confidant that she would be a quick study. Besides, it would be another excuse to see her fire without having to punish her for the offence.

Ah, her long, silky, waist-length raven hair had often called to him. For many moons he had longed to tangle in around his strong hands in the heat of passion. Ivory brushes, combs made of Youkai bone, rinses and other assorted thing were laid out upon her wardrobe shelving. He wanted to make sure those silky locks never, even for a moment, lost their luster. No, he could not live with that on his conscious.

With his last mental review completed, he slipped off into an anxious slumber.

That's all for now…I need at least 3 reviews before I add another chapter. What should happen when Sesshomaru goes to place his claim?


	2. Chapter 2

Kagome, the miko from the future, awoke to a gentle breeze caressing her porcelain face. Stretching her sore and achy muscles, she lazily rolled over on her side. Yawning, she took in the scene in front of her. It was exactly as they had left it last night…a mess. The contents of her old, yellow knapsack we strewn haphazardly about the clearing, as where the sleeping forms of her companions.

Her deep blue eyes came to rest on her monk friend, Miroku. For the first time in months she took a close look at the now adult Miroku. He had been only a young man when they first met, out on his own quest for vengeance. His dark purple monk garb was no longer in its usual pristine state, now tattered and stained with black demon blood as well as his own crimson sustenance. The bottom edges were frayed and caked with old mud and dirt from their many travels throughout feudal Japan. His visible black under kimono had fared no better, laden with various sized holes. The once shinning prayer beads around his hand were beginning to show signs of their hard usage. Leaning with his back slumped against a large tree; his matted black hair was clearly visible. 'How does he do it? How can he survive knowing that each day his body is gnawing away at itself, killing him from the inside out? I know he is in pain, but he'd sooner die than show the rest of us. He was so different when we first met…young, foolish, and light-hearted. Now he is worried for himself and the rest of us, the creases on his brow sow that. He has become so wise, a true monk worthy of everyone's respect.'

Next to Miroku lie Sango, the last of the demon slayers. Her familiar elegance was now marred with signs of hard travel. The outer kimono she used to cover her slayer suit was long ago discarded due to the simple inconvenience of the thing. 'Oh, Sango…I know the loss of your family and people still haunts you. Its written on your face each time we cross paths with Khohaku, yet you never say anything. You've told me how it happened, but not how you feel. I just wish you could trust me enough to share that with me; I know I could help. There have been so many times that I've wanted to ask you about it, but I can't. You will tell me in time.'

On the other side of the clearing, Shippo was curled into a tight, orange ball of fur. Kagome watched as the fur of his tail was blown in the breeze. 'I never thought that'd I would be his mother, but Kami works in strange ways. He's had to grow up so fast, just like Inuyasha did. First he lost his parents to the thunder brothers and now he's gotten caught up in this whole shard thing. I see how he looks at Inuyasha, like a son looks at his father. Even though the fight like the world was coming to an end, I know they'd die for each other.'

The fire cat, Kilala, was dozing next to the little demon in her smaller form. 'I'm glad she's with us. Not only does it make the travel much faster, but she is also like a babysitter for Shippo when the rest of us are buried in our own thoughts.'

The only other member of their rag-tag group wasn't visible to Kagome, but the girl knew that he was perched up on one of the higher branches of a nearby tree, sleeping or pretending to be sleeping until his sensitive hanyou nose caught the scent of breakfast. 'Inuyasha, my feeling for you have changed so much since we first met. I thought that I loved you and that maybe you loved me too, but now I know better. Every time you look at me you see her, you see Kikyo. I found out that even when you do look at me lovingly, it is for the sole reason that I resemble your love.'

'I can't be mad at Kikyo, though. A long time ago I thought I was…mad that she was so beautiful, mad that she was so powerful, mad that I'd always be seen in her shadow, but mostly mad that I could never even compare to her. It was just my own jealousy. In life she protected the Shikon-No-Tama with her full power; she had been caring, wise and fair. She had even captured the heart of Inuyasha, the untamable half-breed. I wonder if that is the reason why I feel for Inuyasha, our soul never let go of him. Now she's just a shell of herself, a clay and dirt copy. No wonder she's so vengeful.'

'But its not like Inuyasha is the only guy I know. There's always Koga. Hm, Koga. He is a strange wolf…gorgeous, but strange. He's almost as stubborn as Inuyasha constantly insisting that I'm his woman. He has Ayame. He is promised to her, and even if I did think about him that way I wouldn't let him dishonor himself. He works so hard to keep his pack together; he really does deserve someone who can love him back. There's also Hojo…no I can't think about him, ugh. Oh well, that's enough laying around for now.'

With a sigh, Kagome wriggled her body from the comforting warmth of her sleeping bag and went behind the bushes to change into her school uniform. 'I need to remember to bring something more comfortable to wear, besides its not like I'm ever in school anyway. Hm, I wonder how long it'll be before Grandpa runs out of diseases for me.'

Laughing to herself, Kagome began to dig through her bag for some instant ramen. Upon finding it she began the necessary preparations to quickly cook it. The fire from last night still contained some glowing embers, making it easier to start. 'And he should be here in 3, 2, 1 and…'

"Hey wench where is my food? Did you sleep in late again?" the hanyou gripped.

"Late? You were up AFTER me dog-boy! Oh, and don't call me wench! My name is Kagome. Get it, got it, use it." Walking over to her bag she gathered up all of her bathing supplies and said, "I'm going to the hot spring to take a bath, play nice with the other children." A low 'Feh' was her only response as she strolled into the lush sanctuary of Inuyasha's forest.

SESSHOMARU"S P.O.V.

Opening his amber eyes, the lord of the west surmised that it was time to go and collect his new mate. Last night had truly been hell. For hours he laid thinking of Kagome, only to fall into a restless sleep where she plagued his dreams. It was far from a new occurrence, but it still held the same feeling of want.

After a quick breakfast and bath he was off to the forest of Inuyasha. Using his Youkai speed, he made excellent time, having to stop only once to dispose of an arrogant bear Youkai that was trespassing on his lands. Upon catching the sweet scent of his intended, he found himself stepping out from behind the brush, revealing himself.

NORMAL P.O.V.

Kagome was only about 20 yards into the leafy forest when she felt a familiar presence. 'I know that aura…but whose is it? It's definitely not Inuyasha's or any of the others and it is not black enough to be that of Naraku.' The crunch of the forest floor behind her alerted her to the presence. Slowly turning around, she let her jaw drop in complete and utter confusion. "Sesshomaru? What are you doing here?" she stammered.

The regal Youkai simply stared, boring into her with his honey-colored eyes.

'His eyes…they are so like Inuyasha's, yet they're different. They resemble the after-glow of a fire while Inuyasha's are more like warm honey.'

Deciding the silence had gone on long enough, the lord spoke in his ever monotone voice, "Miko, do you know why I am here?"

"Why you are here? How would I know that? If you want your father's fang you're in the wrong place, it's not something I carry around."

Sighing Sesshomaru thought, 'well, now is the time…my patience shall not have been wasted.' "Kagome, I can give you everything you've ever wanted. Everything the half-breed could not," he gently runs his calloused thumb over her lips. "Anything you want I can give to you and in return you will only need to acknowledge me as your master and lover, your mate. It is not much I ask." He raises her chin with two of his pale, clawed fingers, "You will grow to adore me as a bitch should. I am willing to overlook the previous relationships you have had with others males, but you will need no other. I have already prepared more gifts for you than you could imagine, you will be my one and only. I will have no other. I will give you my eternal…," he faltered. 'I can not express what I feel, it will show weakness and I am not weak. "No other male could provide for you the way I can. Let me own you, stay by my side for eternity."

'What is he talking about? He hates humans! Maybe spending all that time with that little toad-thing has finally gotten to him. Wait, he's looking at me like he's serious! He's not serious is he? Oh Kami, he is! What do I tell him…no, I'm sorry but I hate your guts? Something tells me that wouldn't fly too well.' "Your eternal what? Love? Since when have you cared about, much less loved anything other than what benefits yourself? I believe you know what lust is, Sesshomaru, but I don't want your lust," Kagome sighed and pulled herself away from the stoic demon lord. "I'll never be some trained bitch that jumps at your every beckon call. I have male friends that I will never abandon. If and when I love, it will not be for lust or dominance it will be for more."

"Are you refusing me?" he snarled a little too viciously.

"Are you giving me a choice?" Kagome questioned hopefully.

"No, woman. I will have you either way. Remember, I always get what I want." He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her to him.

"Well, I'm sorry but I guess today's not your day. Blame it on karma," bit out Kagome while struggling within his grip. "And like I told Inuyasha, I no longer answer to bitch, whore, miko, human, mortal, woman or girl. Even if he is an asshole he still needs me to find shards so he'll show up sooner or later."

A low growl rumbled through his chest, "Bitch, do not ever, ever mention that name in my presence. For that matter, you are no longer allowed to speak the name of any male aside from myself."

"Hm, lets see. There's Koga, who is rather cute by the way, Inuyasha with his cute little ears, Hojo who is well…Hojo, Shi-"

She was abruptly cut off by the raging inuyoukai, "Didn't I not just order you to silence yourself?"

"Apparently not because 'didn't I not' is a double negative meaning that you just ordered me to converse about my male companions. So I know-" but she was once again interrupted by Sesshomaru.

"I am aware of the grammatical cancellation of double negatives bitch, though I did not know you knew such things. We must be on our way if our mating ceremony is to take place this night," he finished with a lecherous grin.

"What! I never said I'd be your mate and boy, do you have some control issues! It probably stems from childhood, it usually does. I know! How about you go seek help and then come back to me when your midlife crisis, or whatever this happens to be, has come to an end?" she finished with a sarcastic air.

"No," he snarled into her ear.

"Hey bitch, where the hell are you? Get your lazy ass out here, now!" The voice of Inuyasha could be heard throughout the entire forest. Catching a glimpse of Kagome's uniform he sauntered over to the nearest clearing and began, "Did I tell you that you could leave you kno-….Sesshomaru," he snarled. "What the fuck are you doing here? Once again slaughtering the innocent and defenseless?"

In as monotone a voice as ever Sesshomaru answered, "No, brother dear. I am here to collect my mate, so do not interfere or I will have to end your worthless life."

Turning to Kagome Inuyasha asked, "What the hell is he talking about, woman?"

"You two are hopeless! My name is KAGOME! Its not hard! And to answer your question I was just leaving," Kagome fumed. "Men," she mumbled.

Inuyasha was quick to grab her and without heeding Sesshomaru's warning growl he hollered, "Don't ever walk away from me Ka-go-me. Until I decide otherwise you belong to me, understand?"

Her response was interrupted by a very angry demon lord, "I would advise you to let go of what is mine, dear brother, otherwise I will have to use force." His eyes were streaked with crimson and his fangs were bared in an overwhelming display of dominance.

"Yours? YOURS? MY Kagome is coming back with ME to hunt for MY shards, cook for and clean for ME and tend to MY needs! What right do you have to lay claim on MY Kagome? For four years you've been trying to slaughter her and now you want her for a mate? No way!"

Drawing his sword the older Inu brother retorted, "If you wish to dispute my claim, we will settle it in traditional way of our ancestors, a battle."

"Fine," Inuyasha snarled. Being the more easily provoked of the two, he unsheathed his now transformed blade and lunged at his half-brother who dodged with an unrivalled grace that any feline would be envious of. The battle continued in this manner for hours, Inuyasha carelessly swinging and Sesshomaru easily dodging.

All the while Kagome stood staring open-mouthed at the pair. 'What are they doing? One of them is going to get hurt and it's my fault!' Just as she was ready to step in Sesshomaru spoke.

"Enough of this childish game, I wish to leave with my mate." A quick, carefully placed kick sent the hanyou to the ground, where he became trapped between the earth and his brother's blade. "Worthless half-breed, you thought you could compare to this Sesshomaru? That mistake will be your last.' Raising his blade, he began on the downward swing when he was stopped by a small hand on his shoulder.

"Sesshomaru, please, don't. I'll never forgive you if you do, please do this one thing for me and I will come with you."

'Should I listen to my bitch? On one hand she will be coming with me either way and this would be a good opportunity to get rid of the half-demon, but on the other hand I do want her trust.' "Fine. This one time I will let him go, but never again.' With that, the Taiyoukai slammed the hilt of his blade on his brother's dead, rendering him unconscious for at least a few good hours.

"Come, I have more important things to do," he stated.

"Oh, really? ME TOO! I told you before I'm not interested. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? Even if I have to go with you, I'm not going to take it lying down!" No sooner had the words left her mouth when she felt a sharp stinging pain on her left cheek. Kagome felt the tears well up in her eyes but willed herself not to cry. 'I'll only look more stupid than I already do. Just keep it together girl.'

"I do not like having to punish you, mate. But if you need to be reminded who the dominant one is I will not hesitate to do as I see fit." For the first time in his life Sesshomaru felt torn. His beast was snarling for the woman's complete submission while his more civil side was mentally slapping himself for losing his temper. As he was about to continue with his list of demands he got the surprise of his considerably long life. She had smacked him right back. It took a moment for him to register this act of defiance since never, even when he was a child, had anyone dared to touch him. He had always been in control and was determined to keep it that way.

Looking at his now slightly red face Kagome could see it clearly. How the crimson blood seeped into his usual amber orbs, taking with it the last sense of rationalization. 'Maybe hitting him was going too far…wait, what am I saying! He smacked me even if this isn't my era and women don't get the respect they deserve yet I still had every right to do it!'

Within seconds Kagome was being pinned to the ground by the hard body of the young lord. His lips crashed down upon her own in a fierce, possessive kiss. Sinking his deadly fangs into her lower lip, the now wild Sesshomaru lapped up the blood. This also gave his the opportunity to shove his hot tongue into her warm, moist mouth. Using his abnormally long, dog-like tongue, he began to take every inch of her to memory. The sweet taste of her combined with her weakening struggles calmed his raging blood enough to allow his mate air.

Gulping in mouthfuls of the life-saving gas, she looked up into the eyes of her future-lover. Without so much as a groan, she passed out, overwhelmed by the whole situation.

Standing, Sesshomaru gathered the girl in his arms (yes, he has both in this story-it will be explained later) and formed his ki cloud. 'This should be interesting.'

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And there we have chapter two, it took a lot longer than I thought it would but I'm happy with it. I think I'll try to come out with one a week from now on. Until next time, XXliberatetheworldXX


	3. Chapter 3

Back in the clearing, a very angry hanyou was about to come to. 'Ow…What the hell? Why does it feel like my head weighs a million tons? I'll just go back to camp and get Kagome to ba-' Suddenly, everything seemed to fall into place in the half-demon's head. 'Kagome! Oh Kami! What do I do now? He just had to declare a formal battle over my bitch, didn't he? And I….I lost. There's nothing I can do now! Wait he couldn't actually want her as his mate could he? Isn't he known for hating humans? Although….I haven't known him to lie before, he's too honor-bound. Oh this is just great! What am I supposed to tell the slayer and the monk, not to mention the kid! Well, I sure as hell can't tell them the truth….so, what would be believable? I know, we had another stupid argument and she left for her time. Perfect!'

MEANWHILE…

Sesshomaru flew through the skies holding his mate close to his well-toned chest. Despite his calm appearance, his mind had been flying around from one matter to the next since he set out. 'What female doesn't desire this Sesshomaru? I did not expect this to be a problem. It was clear that she would fight me…but to out right refuse my offer? It must be the affect of spending such long periods of time in radius of the mutt's stupidity. But she mentioned love…does this Sesshomaru know how to give love. I am sure she has my respect, praise, approval and lust…but love? Hm, it will have to be discussed further, but for now more immediate matters. She needs to be subservient to me like a good bitch, but I take no pleasure in causing her pain. It matters not; sooner or later she will learn respect and realize that her punishments were for the best.'

Sighting his white, marble castle the demon lord decided to forgo the hassle of bringing his intended through the main gate and settled on simply entering from his balcony. As his feet touched the ground with cat-like grace, he felt his woman stir. 'This Sesshomaru will not lose his temper with her. It's obvious that she will not respond well to the-' but the thought was never finished due to the groggy interruptions of the raven-haired girl.

"Mom, I'm not going to school today. Tell everybody I'll be back tomorrow," she yawned.

A haughty, smirk graced the face of the Taiyoukai before once again falling into its normal stony barrier. "Girl, I am not your mother." Walking over to a set of plush throw cushions, he laid her down gently before taking a seat next to her on the chamber floor.

Kagome's emotion-filled eyes slowly began to stir from their heavy-lidded position. 'Where am I? Where is Inuyasha? I'm surprised he hasn't woken me up already screaming for his breakfast. Hm, I don't want to get up, these pillows are so comfy…wait, pillows? I really don't remember bringing any pillows. Oh boy, now I remember where I am. Let's see, maybe if I close my eyes he'll disappear.' Cracking one eye open, she groaned at the knowledge her wish hadn't been granted.

Sesshomaru watched the girl, amused with her childish antics. "It is time to awaken, koi. We have much to discuss."

Turning onto her side, facing away from Sesshomaru she snarled, "WE? Since when has there been a we? I'm quite sure there is a you and then there is a me. I'm afraid I missed the whole we thing."

"There has been a we and an us and a them since this Sesshomaru decided to make it so."

"First, this Kagome is sick of Lord Jackass over there referring to himself in the third person. Second, are you off your rocker? I mean hello! You hate humans, Kami; you've tried to kill me! If this about that fang I'll flip! You two are just the same. It makes me sick! Was being a stubborn, egotistical, chauvinistic, pig-headed idiot in your gene pool? Third, even if you are serious the answer is no! No! No! No! Did your oh-so-mighty demon hearing catch that frosty?"

Sesshomaru closed his eyes in an attempt to stay calm. "Woman, you try my patience. Listen and listen well for this Sesshomaru does not repeat himself. How much or how little you know about inuyoukai mating is, at the moment, none of my concern but let me caution you. The male is always dominant, while his chosen bitch obeys his every word knowing that their decision is for the best. You will abide by the customs of my clan, seeing as I have not had contact with yours."

Kagome simply turned away from him, refusing to further acknowledge his presence in the room. No sooner had she settled herself than she felt large sword-callused hands pull her into a possessive hold at a hard chest. She sighed. 'What can I do? Well, I know what a CAN'T do…that would be anything that he says or even implies that would please him. I could try the silent treatment, but it wouldn't work. Frosty seems to prefer the quiet and when he does speak I get so angry there is no way I contain myself. Maybe I can explain to him about this…"

"Mate, what are you thinking?"

"Sesshomaru, you've been honest with me, so let me do the same for you. There is just no way that this will work. I have a responsibility to my friends, to Inuyasha. He has lost too many people already and I can't bear to make him go through that again, even if he doesn't love me in the way I'd like he is still my best friend. I just can't leave Shippo. I'm his mom now. You should have seen him when we first found him, Lord Sesshomaru. I'm sure that you would never abandon your pups, and I refuse to abandon mine. Besides, Sango is like the sister I never had and Miroku…uh, well he is good for _things_. As a lord I would think that you of all people would know about duty and honor, and you ask me to give up both."

"Koi, you will not dishonor yourself. The taking of a mate is highly respected in Youkai court, and as for the kit I will allow him to take up residence here. According to demon law you are mine now, seeing as I am first to lay claim to you."

Kagome stiffened at that thought. He WASN'T the first demon to approach her on such a subject. 'Should I tell him about Koga I…?'

Sesshomaru had smelt the sudden tension radiating from the girl at his last statement and it made his inu thrash about wildly in its mental cage. He let out a low snarl before using his incredible demon speed to position himself on top of her. "Tell me, Kagome, and do not lie to me for I will know. What demon has dared to lay claim to you?"

Kagome stayed silent, realizing this would only hurt Koga. As the silence dragged itself out, she felt sharp claws digging into the pale, tender flesh of her shoulders. "Answer me now bitch!" Her only reply was a defiant glare.

"Woman, I will find out, I might be able to check my temper more thoroughly if you reveal this information to me."

"Koga, Lord of the Eastern Lands and prince of the wolves has had a claim on me for a good 3 years now," she whispered. I fact it was so quiet; even Sesshomaru's demon senses had trouble picking it up.

A deep growl rumbled through his chest. 'The Eastern Lord! That flea-bag mangy wolf? He's only a pup! There is no way he could provide for my intended. I will simply not allow it.' "Kagome, has he acted on his claim?"

She scoffed in irritation, "Well, only if you count kidnapping and bribery."

The lord was pleased to hear the distaste in her young voice. 'At least she is not found of Lord Koga…at least in that fashion.' "Come, we are going to pay a visit to the Eastern Lands."

He stood with his normal fluency and held out a clawed hand to assist her in getting up. "Uh, Sesshomaru is this really necessary. I mean it's not like I am actually considering-"

"It matters, for the Youkai society needs to be aware of who you belong to. But before we go, I have something for you." The pulled out a jeweled collar with his family crest upon it. Quieter than she had ever heard him he sighed, "This collar was given to my mother by my father as part of an inu tradition. It is a sign of his, and now my, ownership over the female adorned with such. But more importantly, it is my promise to you. My promise to have no other, love no other. With this on your neck, you have made the same promise to me. It will be irremovable, with exception of myself"

Kagome turned around to rudely decline, but then she caught sight of his eyes. 'He looks so sad, yet so hopeful. I never knew that he hurt like that. I may have been wrong about---wait, what am I thinking he just kidnapped me! But still…' "I will wear your collar, and while I do I shall seek no other. But, know that I if I wish it I will leave, trusting that you will allow it. At the end of a moon cycle I will tell you my final choice, binding me to you."

"If that is how you wish it that is how it shall be. Know, though, that I am not a gentle man by nature, nor am I even tempered. "

Kagome gave him a half-hearted smile, "I know, I really do know."

With those words the western lord pulled the mass of soft, raven hair to the side and fastened the silver latch. As she turned to face him, Sesshomaru felt for the first time in many hundreds of years, true contentment. 'She is the as beautiful as my own mother, I will have her for a mate.' "Beautiful…' was all he said before quickly scooping her up bridal style and taking to the air.

AFTER A SHORT FLIGHT

The pair landed lightly, but Sesshomaru still did not let Kagome down. His soft growl was a clear indication for her to stop moving. A few yards ahead stood the wolf village. It consisted mostly of mountain-side caves and a few wooden buildings. Baskets of food were set near the forest edge and small wolf pups ran around playing, watched by the elders.

Catching her longing smile directed at the pups Sesshomaru whispered to her, "Soon, Koi. Soon we will have our own."

This thought sent shivers down her spine, but before she could really think about it a cloud of dust came speeding towards them.

As soon as the air cleared, the wolf prince was visible. "Kagome! What the hell are you doing here? Did that mutt finally get to you? Have you come to take your place as my woman?"

Any words that would have followed were cut off by Sesshomaru's low, possessive growl. He set Kagome down lightly on her feet and turned, standing full height to face the wolf boy. "Lord Koga," he said in such a monotone voice that Kagome finally realized how much emotion he had actually revealed to her.

"Lord Sesshomaru, what brings you here? I thank you for escorting my woman here but-"

Sesshomaru snarled, a threatening sound originating from deep within his chest. He truly sounded like a fierce dog. "You will never refer to my intended as yours again, pup. I am here for Kagome has told me of your claim to her. Since I too have laid claim, I came to settle this with you in person."

"No fucking way dog! I have had rights to her for years now; your recent decision is nothing!"

"I feared you would think as much. Let us settle this in the old way. Let us fight."

Kagome gasped and flung herself between the two demons. "NO! Please don't fight…I don't want to see anymore fights."

Sesshomaru brought her to his chest in a strong embrace and began a low purring sound, meant for calming a female. It did just that, as Kagome felt the tension in her muscles drain away.

"We will not fight. Though, I do not retract my claim. Wolf, I am more fit to provide for her. You are still a pup compared to me, not powerful enough to defend a mate. What if Naraku happened upon you? Even with your shards you'd be no match, leaving Kagome to fend for herself."

Koga hung his head and simply nodded turning his face away. "If it is best for Kagome, then it will be this way."

"A wise choice, you will grow into a fine ruler."

Seeing how depressed the wolf demon looked, Kagome broke away from Sesshomaru, ignoring his warning growl, and caught Koga in a tight hug which he returned with vigor. "Koga, we will always be friends. You deserve some one better, some one who can love you fully. Whoever that is, they will be one of the most fortunate women in the world." With that, Kagome placed a chaste kiss on his lips and returned to the arms of Sesshomaru who immediately took off.

Within five minutes he had stopped again, landing in a small clearing.

"Woman, what was that?" Kagome could plainly see the fire burning in his amber orbs. "I am a jealous man Kagome, a very jealous man. For your sake, I did not kill him, at least not yet. But, you have kissed another and are now covered in his disgusting scent." Within seconds he had pounced, like the predator he was, and now sat straddling her hips and holding her arms above her head with one deadly hand.

Without warning he crashed his face down to hers, purposefully bashing her skull with his own. Not even asking for any type of permission, he bit her. Using the opportunity, he sucked her now quite bloody tongue into his hot mouth. After what seemed to Kagome like hours he lifted up his face, hovering two inches above her with red blood, her blood, staining his lips. He took his time sitting up, now noticing that the girl had her eyes shut tightly.

"Open your eyes and look at me. Assure me that this will never happen again Kagome. Tell me what I want to hear."

Her only response was to spit blood into his face.

Without even wiping his face, he raised his clawed had and slapped, a slap that could have brought pain to the strongest of demons. Looking down he could already see the yellowish-purple tint that her cheek had begun to shade. It disgusted him, knowing that he hurt her and marred her beauty. 'It must be done; this is how a bitch learns. I am in the right.'

Hot tears trailed down the girls cheeks, staining her flushed, bruising face. Turning her head away, she let a sob escape form her crimson lips.

Forcefully, but not enough to hurt, Sesshomaru grasped her chin and brought her eyes to meet his own. "Understand that it is not my wish to do such things to you, but it is my place as your mate."

"Your place? You have no place in my life. I will keep my word Sesshomaru and stay with you for a moon cycle but then I will return to your brother.

The inu demon felt his blood raging in his ears. 'She has been punished enough today. Too much abuse never taught anything.' "When we return you will be leashed, that way I can keep watch over you until I am sure you will not leave me."

"ARE YOU SERIOUS? A LEASH? YOU'RE THE DOG HERE!"

"That is still to be determined," pressing his finger to her pressure point he knocked her out.

After a short flight home, Sesshomaru retrieved the old leather leash that his father had kept and attached it to her sleeping form. 'I do not like doing this while she rests, but if I tried it when she was awake I am certain that she would hurt herself.'

The demon lord lifted his mate and gently laid her on his futon, joining her. He was more than content to simply lie beside her and breathe her intoxicating aroma, for he was positive all hell will break lose the moment she opens her eyes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wow! Chapter 3! It still probably sucks, but oh well, I'm having fun with it! Thanks guys, XXemzyXX


	4. Chapter 4

Opening her sleepy blue eyes, Kagome seethed as her memories of the recent events took hold of her. 'How dare he! I should just leave right now! What should my word matter anyway? I can't take this that is it! He is going to get a piece of my mind!' Not noticing the leash attached to her, Kagome sat up quickly, choking herself and sputtering for air.

Sesshomaru had watched the entire thing, even her face was an open window to her emotions. 'Even if it anger she shows me, it is a feeling. Soon it will change.' He lifted his muscled arm and snaked around his mate's waist, sending a low, calming growl vibrating from his chest. Eventually it took affect and the girl went limp. Not one to miss an opportunity, the demon lord lowered his hot mouth to the girl's neck and began a trail of wet, open moth kisses, stopping every few moments to nip at her tender flesh.

Being a canine demon, his kisses were more like affectionate licks of his long, rough tongue. Settling on a spot that would be visible for other males, he took her sweet flesh into his mouth and began to suckle it, continuing until he was sure there would be a love bite at the spot.

Kagome had immediately lost herself to his attentions, her mind a haze of passion with only some small speck of rationality buried deep within the recesses of her mind. Not realizing what she was doing, she felt a moan form in her throat and push past her cherry lips.

This was all the consent Sesshomaru needed before he brought his soft lips down upon her own. Sucking her bottom lip into his own hot cavern, he took the liberty of gently cutting her with his sharp fangs. Her blood. It was becoming an obsession of his. Each time he felt the sweet, metallic liquid on his tongue he felt his inner beast snarl and struggle against the tightly bound mental chains he had been placed under so many years ago. Nothing had ever stirred such a feeling in him. He found it amusing though, that such a tiny, gentle creature could be the only person to ever cause these feelings. It was the complete definition of irony.

Bored with simply her lips, he placed a few light kisses along her jaw line before returning to her mouth and gently probing it with his tongue, asking for entrance.

Although she was undoubtedly lost in her own euphoric bliss, her subconscious let her know of what the demon above her was asking. 'Should I? I don't love him, I know its wrong…but it just feels so right.' With that last thought she timidly parted her lips for him.

Releasing a pleased growl from his throat, Sesshomaru plunged his tongue into her wonderfully willing mouth. He took the time to trace each of her teeth before sucking her own pink tongue into his mouth.

Gaining more confidence, Kagome rubbed and pushed her tongue against his in an unknown fight for dominance.

Sesshomaru was quick to respond by taking the battle back into her own moth and pinning her muscle down until she stilled. By this point, the inu lord was feeling an intense ache in his loins, much more violent than ever before. He could feel all of his hot, boiling blood flowing down into his member, engorging it until it felt as if it would burst from the pressure.

Needing some type of relief he began to slowly grind his erection into her conveniently positioned thigh.

Kagome was instantly aware of his erection pressing into her, but was hesitant to say anything. 'Even if I could separate my mouth long enough, I couldn't say anything. As long as there are no real sexual actions I guess its okay….'

Slowly at first, and then harder, he frantically humped his arousal against the girl's tiny frame. Being a demon, he was also aware that his mate was in need of attention. Sliding his unoccupied hand down to her most secret area, he pressed his flat palm firmly against her core.

Kagome moaned into his mouth, giving him the sign to continue and soon she felt him grinding his knuckles against her.

'Kami, I have never felt such need and I haven't even looked upon her nude body yet.' The intimate thought made him shudder as he felt his release beginning to form. His balls, which were gently sliding across her leg with a pleasurable friction, began to tighten. He needed to hold off until she was able to reach her own peak.

Little did he know, it was only seconds away. The heavy coil that had been tightening itself in Kagome's stomach burst, sending her into a mind-blowing orgasm. Her juices flowed and seeped through the cotton barrier between the hand of the demon lord and her center as her body went rigid.

With a distinctively male grunt, Sesshomaru shot his seed from his deflating cock. Jet after jet of milky cum sprayed out into his silk pants, soaking his female's leg.

When the intense pleasure finally passed, he laid his head down in the valley of her breasts as they both panted heavily. His mind whirled with many thoughts but one more prominent than the rest. 'I just shot my seed onto her, like a pup lusting after his first bitch.' He raised his head and looked down at their cum covered bodies. 'She does look truly beautiful like this, panting, drenched in my seed.'

As her senses came back to her, Kagome's mind bombarded her with thousands of questions. 'What just happen? Why did whatever that was just happen? Do I love him? What about Inuyasha? Was this whole thing based on lust?'

The slightly husky voice of Sesshomaru brought her back down to earth, "Come, we will bathe."

Kagome blushed, only to hear a low chuckle from the inu. "What?" she asked as he scoped her up bridal style and carried her down the hall to his private hot springs.

"Do you not think it is a little late to be so shy, koi?"

"It's not like we….you know…did it or anything."

"That can be easily remedied if you wish it," he whispered.

"Uh um, n-n-no thank you. I uh, think I'm fine."

Sesshomaru stopped in front of a large mahogany door, pushing it open with one hand while cradling Kagome in the other. Setting her down on her feet, he stepped behind her and began to undo her strange kimono.

"Uh…Sesshomaru, what are you doing?"

"I am preparing to groom you, koi." His skilled hands stilled as her blouse and skirt fell to the floor, leaving her in her bra and panties. With no idea as to their purpose, seeing them only as offensive cloths that marred his view of his mate, he sliced them off with one claw and turned around to wait. When he did not feel the touch of her tiny hands he growled out a warning. "You will now undress me."

Kagome gasped, but for some reason unknown to even herself, she reached out with shaking hands, and began to untie the strings of his kimono top. It soon fell away to reveal a chiseled chest and tight back muscles.

Now even more hesitant she pulled a string and watched as his silk, white pants fell to his ankles. She kept her face turned down, and was soon picked up once again as Sesshomaru carried her into the clear steaming water.

He nuzzled the top of her head, breathing in her wonderful scent. Sitting down a small stone platform meant as a bench, he sat Kagome down on his lap. Noticing how her entire body seemed to instantly become tense, he reached for some light soaps and a small cloth.

Dumping a healthy portion of the liquid soap onto the damp cloth, he worked up a lather and began a gentle massage of her body. Starting at her back her he patiently worked out all of the tension. He rubbed the muscles in her neck and shoulders until her body was limp against his own. He then proceeded to lightly caress her stomach and thighs until he thought she was relaxed enough. "Stand," he whispered into her ear and to both of their surprise, she did.

The lord began to massage her scalp and wash her thick, hair with some type of lilac rinse. He soon began to rinse her soapy hair, gently dragging his long, lethal claws against the back of her neck. After finishing he turned to look into her half-lidded eyes.

Kagome could clearly see what it was that he was expecting, but was hesitant about granting his wish. Looking around nervously, she spotted his fluffy tail floating on top of the water. With a mind of their own her delicate hands reached out and began to timidly stroke the furry appendage.

Sesshomaru was in heaven. All dog demons had very sensitive tails, and the current care of his own caused something akin to a purr to emanate from him.

Gaining confidence with each passing moment Kagome began to soap-up the fur and gently combed her fingers through it. "Wow. I never knew his tail would be that sensitive. It's so cute though! Almost even better then Inuyasha's puppy ears!' After making sure the last of the soap was gone, she repeated the slow process on his silver hair, which she had secretly always been jealous of.

The constant rumble from the demon lord only increased when the girl shakily washed his chest and shoulders, not daring to go below the two maroon stripes on his masculine hips. 'That is fine for now soon she will take the opportunity whenever it presents itself.' Sighing he spoke, "It is time for dinner, koi. You will then accompany me to a meeting in the library, the matter concerns you."

After drying themselves they both left for their separate rooms to clothe themselves.

Kagome sighed as she opened up the wardrobe, looking through all of the elegant attire. Picking a black bell-sleeved kimono that stopped at her lower thigh and fit tightly, adorned with white sakura blossoms on the edge of the left sleeve. 'What am I doing? Even better, what did I just do? That was wrong on so many levels, maybe he'll just forget about it….not likely. But we didn't actually…oh Kami; I can't even think the word much less attempt it. What am I feeling for him? It's definitely not hate and it feels like more than just lust…almost like the feeling I used to get around Inuyasha. Oh no! No, no, no, no! Bad, bad thought. He is probably waiting; I'll just have to think on this later.' After combing out her hair, she left the room to meet her escort.

At the same time Sesshomaru was donning his grey and black formal kimono. It was styled much his others, but the colors were more appropriate for such an occasion. 'That went well. She is getting used to me. This is good. Hm, it is odd how she makes me feel…like my chest is caving in and my stomach is jittering, like I could stop the world, like I could be content forever. Is this how love feels? Nonsense, demons do not we respect, lust and protect but certainly not love.' Turning he entered the hall to find Kagome emerging from her own doorway, seemingly lost in thought.

Offering her his arm, he looked down at her considerably shorter person. "Come, my mate. We shall eat, and then you will meet my colleagues."

Taking his arm, Kagome, sighed. She knew that she would be in for one hell of a night. Though unfortunately, she had no real clue to how right she was.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well there's chapter 4, I know that it's a lot shorter than the rest but I'm having a minor case of writers block. Besides, I don't want to rush this. I think that they need more controversy, there is no possible way Kagome could stay this submissive and also no possible way for Sesshomaru to stay so calm. Please e-mail me or message me with any ideas that you have for this plot. I have a lot of other fanfic ideas swimming around in my head right now, too. It's very hard to concentrate on just one of them, but I've decided to complete this one before starting any more than I already have. Once again, thank you all--- XXemzyXX


	5. Chapter 5

Upon entering the dinning room, Kagome gasped at the amount of food on the tables. Why in the world does he insist on having all of this junk? I mean wow, he could feed an entire third world country for a day if he only…but her thought was never finished due to Sesshomaru's intruding, monotone voice. "Bitch, the first rule of Youkai nobility mating customs is this; the alpha's bitch always sits to his left. Furthermore, you will wait until I am seated to commence your own action. This Sesshomaru will start the meal, once I have eaten a small amount you will be expected to eat. Only then may our guests eat. Fortunately, this Sesshomaru has some important matters to discuss with you, so we will be dinning alone this evening."

The Taiyoukai sat himself and Kagome did the same. After about five minutes of silence and the beginning out the meal, Sesshomaru looked over to his intended. Mentally sighing, he cursed his luck. His instincts told him that this would not end well. "Koi, how much do you know about the mating rights, customs and culture of the inuyoukai clan in generally? Do you know anything about my packs, the western canines, traditions?"

Kagome paled. What traditions? What rules? Since when had "love", if you could even call it that, have so many rules? "No, I know nothing about it in the least." She looked over her shoulder at Sesshomaru who, as always, looked like he had spent an entire afternoon watching paint dry.

"Very well, I think it best we have this discussion now so nothing comes up during our later meeting with the cardinal lords. The first thing you should be informed of is that inuyoukai, such as myself, mate for life. Our joining will give you my life span and even in the next realm our souls will be bonded. This Sesshomaru will never seek another female for whatever reason; I swear this to you on my honor. I expect the same vow from you mate."

He paused as if waiting for her affirmation of the statement. Kagome's mind was reeling, but finally having collected herself to a manageable point, she replied, "Our previous agreement still stands Sesshomaru. As long as I am with you, and only if I remain with you, I shall not need any other man. But, should I choose to leave you at the end of this moon cycle, I shall have to retract my words."

The lord growled, that had not been the answer he wanted to hear. "It will do for now, Kagome. Secondly, it is an inu tendency for a male to be very aggressive and territorial. Once we have joined this Sesshomaru will most likely become more possessive and protective, especially once I have pupped you. While mating, the male is always dominant. Do not defy me during this act for my beast will most likely be the one to claim you. As the alpha male of our pack, he or should I say we, has deemed you worthy of being our pack's alpha female. Most alphas never take a mate, due to their youkai's severe distrust of all females. It is a great honor that my beast has accepted you, this Sesshomaru warns you to always be submissive when my inner demon is control. He will not hesitate to throw you to the ground and rut with you, evening in the middle of a public gathering, if he thinks that you are out of line. As a word of warning, if he bites your nose bite his chin to show you except our dominance; if he latches our teeth onto the back of your skull still immediately. Both of these are male acts of power, it would not be wise to refute them. Inu mating is rough, Kagome. There is no guarantee that I will be gentle so prepare yourself. The only other time my beast will appear is when this Sesshomaru is furious. Hm, we must have at least twenty pups to secure the safety of our line. As the bitch you will be expected to nurture our pups and care for them until I may train them. Also, you will be by my side at all times. We will eat, dine, converse, walk, travel, sleep and rut together. Never leave our bed before this Sesshomaru awakens, waking up to an empty den is an easy way to receive punish. Each morning you shall groom me and I you. You will then clothe me and I shall reciprocate the deed. This Sesshomaru has had a suitable wardrobe designed for a lady of your station, you will not wear that indecent green and white kimono any longer. It reveals much more of you than this Sesshomaru is willing to share. You will be trained to fight by this Sesshomaru. Your untapped power is great, visible even in your aura, but you must learn to harness it. During the days I will work and you will sit by my side in small areas I have already seen to. Seeing the half-breed is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. He has his clay whore, whom, if you didn't know has been his mate for some time. It is beyond this Sesshomaru's understanding. Anything you desire this Sesshomaru shall gift you with, my pet. This Sesshomaru and our future pups are all the family you will ever need. But, Kagome, I cannot legally make you mine until I have received courting rights from the alpha male of your clan. Seeing as this Sesshomaru has never found any trace of them, you will take me to your village tomorrow."

Tears trickled down the small woman's cheeks. Inuyasha was mated? Her heart felt like it was broken in two. Though she now knew that what she felt for him was not love, it scarred her deeply to know that he wouldn't share this with her. Hadn't they been best friends? Why? Why was everything about her life always so complicated? Why couldn't she just be a normal teenage girl who worried about normal teenage things? No, instead she was being courted by the most powerful demon lord in the feudal era. Closing her now dull eyes, she failed to hold back a shaky sob.

Sesshomaru was puzzled. What was the matter with his bitch? Was she not pleased to know of their union and their future? What could have possibly upset her that much? In all fairness to the woman, he decided it would be best to ask. "Mate, what is it that troubles you?"

Kagome sniffled trying to regain her composure as quickly as possible. "I," she choked out, "I did not know of Inuyasha's mating. Even if my love for him is not that of a lover, we were always close…closer than I've been to anyone. Why would he not tell me?"

The Youkai Lord's eyes bled crimson. All his demon had heard was 'male…love…close…mate'. No, this was his female, HIS! Mate, my mate! Rival male…discipline bitch…respect her alpha…SUBMIT! He nearly flew out of his chair and grabbed her, pinning her against the cold stone, wall. He bared his deadly fangs in her frightened face. "_Mine! Bitch MINE! Bitch likes another male…rival…must kill. Win bitch's respect. Who male?" _he snarled at her.

"M-m-ma-male? You m-mean Inuyasha?"

Sesshomaru roared out his displeasure in a spine tingling bark. His only thoughts were _male in pack? Me alpha…MY BITCH! _

Kagome spoke, trying her best to remain calm, "I t-take it you mean Inuyasha? W-w-ell, I d-do not feel for him that way…he is more like my best friend."

_"Mate need no other males…only me, alpha…me best and only friend…"_

"Well, I guess you could say that he's more like my…pup?"

_"Pup?"_

"Yeah, I always took care of him. He's really very dependant you know. I worry about him. He still needs to figure out how to care for himself."

_"Not pup…bitch have my pups…only pups she have…take care of me!"_

Kagome seemed to keep digging herself in deeper and deeper. "Uh…um, a pack-mate maybe?"

Sesshomaru's body instantly became less tense. He thought, _bitch make good alpha…take care of pack…good bitch. _He began a deep comforting growl that had been used by the inu clan for centuries for the specific purpose of calming a female.

Soon the lord came into his own mind, regaining his control. He could feel the tiny female trembling in his arms and cursed his domineering nature for the thousandth time that evening. "Shh, mate. I did not mean to scare you. Can you now tell this Sesshomaru how one goes about finding your village?"

Once she calmed down a bit, Kagome sighed, deciding to just tell him the truth. "Well, like I said, my village is very far away…like 500 years away. I know it sounds insane but I'm from the future. There is no real point in you visiting my time anyway, Sesshomaru. My father died…a long time ago. We do not speak of it now. My mother is old and sick. I fear she will not remain bound to this earth much longer. The only person left would be my younger brother, but I do not wish to drag him into this. I…I can't," she stopped and gazed at the floor.

Sesshomaru felt the ice around his demonic heart melt looking at the small girl. 'This Sesshomaru has also lost his father…but at least he was with us in childhood. _Mate hurting…fix…no hurting. _What can I do? She has so much for one so young. Between raising her own family, her feudal family and her suitors it is a wonder she can live from day to day.' "Koi, this Sesshomaru understands. We do not have to return to your village. Now come, mate we have much more to discuss, my colleagues can wait." With that he grasped her hand and pulled her out to the newly bloomed garden. A few minutes of walking brought them to a small grove of sakura trees where he sat, his back against the tree bark, facing the setting sun and holding Kagome in his lap.

For some odd reason Kagome felt herself relaxing into the lord's muscled chest.

"Kagome, let us play a game."

That nearly blew the miko's mind…since when did he play games? None the less, she managed to stutter out an, "Alright."

"I will ask you a question then you may ask me one in return. To begin, what do you think of my home?"

"It truly is lovely. Much more than I would ever need, but lovely all the same."

The Youkai felt his beast purr at the knowledge that she saw them as good providers. Yes, this was progressing along nicely.

She continued, "Why do you want me as a mate?"

He sighed, "This Sesshomaru will only say this once, woman, so listen well. For some time I have observed you and your small pack. My Youkai identified you as the alpha female, and a very powerful one at that. Soon we, my Youkai and I, noticed how the half-breed left you unmated, unmarked and uncared for. We recognized you right away as a strong female, and leaped at the chance to have you as our own. Do you love my half-brother?"

"Hm, he lost my love a long time when he decided lust came before love and loyalty. I was broken-up about it for a while, but then I realized he wasn't worth it. Now I don't know what I feel for him. Friend seems too strong a word but acquaintance would be an understatement."

The demon lord mentally let go of breath he hadn't even realized he was harboring. 'Well, at least that will not have to be one of our worries.' "Let us rest, we have much to see to tomorrow."

For some strange reason, beyond all comprehension, Kagome did not want to leave his side. Maybe, just maybe this one time they could, "Um…Sesshomaru, would you lay with me tonight. My soul seems to find comfort in your presence.

"Always my love, always."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hm, that chapter was a bit of a stretch if I do say so myself. There is no way they'd be this docile, but it does perfectly set up the stage for what I have in mind next, so please bare with me. Also, I don't know how much longer I'm going to devote to working on this. It has certainly not been my best work but it was just meant to be a quick warm-up fic to get my mind going for the summer. I have about 17 stories currently under revisions/additions. My U drive is a mess with all the folders. At the most, this fic will be one two or three more chapters. My mind shoots out more stories ideas than I could ever find the time to write, so I'll have to try to pick and chose my summer projects. My goal is to put this and three other completed stories out by the middle or end of august. I know two that I am definitely doing, the third is a toss-up between a Phantom fic with Sesshomaru and Kagome, another Kagome becomes a demoness (with a twist) fic or something I've been working on sporadically called 'She is My Perfection' (mainly about a teacher's a.k.a. Sesshomaru obsession with his student a.k.a. Kagome). PLEASE e-mail me and tell me which you'd like to read because I'm really stuck on the choice. Thanks, XXemzyXX


	6. Important Note Please Read

Well I've backed myself into a corner with this particular story. I'm at a point where I no longer enjoy writing it for lack of motivation. If anyone has any ideas on how the plot should continue feel free to contribute them to my possibilities pile. Until then I think that I'll work on some other stories. Peace---XXemzyXX


	7. Chapter 7

Wow! Thank you so much. It is really wonderful to see people actually enjoy reading my writing. I'd like to give a special thanks to Rebecca the Priestess and HisLordFluffiness. People like the two of you are the most wonderful and fulfilling part of writing these stories. I sincerely appreciate your praise and I truly hope not to disappoint you. XXemzyXX

Inuyasha, the arrogant inu-hanyou, sat in his favorite branch of the god tree, resting his aching body against the sturdy age-old trunk. He had already been chewed out by both the monk and the slayer, not to mention the old hag and the little fox brat. Why did they care what happened to that bitch? What did she do for them besides sensing shards and cooking and seeing to their wounds and…whoa, wait a minute…what was this feeling. It felt almost like his chest was being pressed down by a significant weight and as if his stomach was a bottomless pit. It was almost like he missed her.

But that was impossible because he had Kikyo. Kikyo had been the first woman in his life and Kagome was only a cheap copy, right? Kikyo had been gorgeous with her long, straight black hair and mysterious chocolate brown eyes. On the other hand Kagome had those thick wavy locks that framed her face and moved slightly with each one of her graceful steps. Her blue eyes were much warmer than Kikyo's had ever been.

Whatever, that didn't matter; his Kikyo was more powerful…wasn't she? Now that he really thought about it, Kagome's spirit arrows shone brighter with holy energy and shot farther than Kikyo's ever had. But that didn't mean anything compared to all the wonderful times Kikyo and he had spent together.

Like the frivolous talks and evening boat rides. But…she never looked at him like his Kagome did. With those loving eyes that saw him for what he was and accepted him all the same. Kikyo, she had wanted him to change in order to be with her…she didn't want him, she wanted only the human parts of him. She had always shied away from his touch, making him feel even more like the dirty half-blood he knew he was. But Kagome, she held him no what he was. Human, half-demon, even in his crazed demonic episodes she had been there.

At that second in time he knew that his wish on the jewel, if he had had it, would have been to just be in his Kagome's arms tonight. Right now, when he was all alone, he could finally admit to himself that that had been his home, his comfort. What had he done?

His beast snarled at him from within, telling to go reclaim his bitch, make her his mate. He fought the thoughts, but it was no use for in all honesty he agreed with him. Letting his demon take-over, he went to prepare a den so they would have a safe place to mate. Soon, soon he would have his bitch, the bitch he had waited years for his human to claim. Now he would do things his way.

WITH SESSHOMARU AND KAGOME

Rarely did Sesshomaru ever sleep. He never really needed it, and the past night was no exception. He had lain, holding his intended all night thinking on of all things, his father.

Yes, all those years ago he had been so disgusted at the thought of his father taking another mate, but not for the reason he thought. For many years he had simply allotted it to his step-mother being a human, but that had not been it. No, he had Rin and Kagome, the two most important women in his life and they were both humans. It had been the fact that his mother was abandoned. He knew his father could never understand the feeling he had each day seeing his mother die a little more, and not being able to do anything.

When his father had died some years ago he had not shed a tear. Why would he cry for a man that ruined his mother's life and destroyed his own happiness? But, ever since he began to feel for Kagome he had changed. Not in a way he would let the outside world know, no, but in a different way. He was beginning to realize the difference between emotions and weakness. Emotions did not make a person weak, weakness was a state of mind.

Before he had any more time to muse over his past, he felt his chosen stir next to him. Leaning in, he nuzzled her neck gently, a traditional inu sign of affection. He allowed her room to stretch and resituated himself so that she was more comfortable. "Good morning, pet."

Kagome was still on edge of falling back into the world of dreams when she heard a voice talking to her. With much effort, she opened her eyes slightly and caught sight of the breath-taking demon lord next to her. He really was stunning with his dark amber eyes and pearly hair flowing around him like silk, ironically giving the deadly demon the look of a god-sent angel. She had no idea what possessed her to do so, but she leaned into his chest and placed a light kiss on the distinctly defined muscles. "Good morning, Sesshomaru," she yawned.

He smiled, she really was as adorable as a young pup. Did I, the Great Sesshomaru, just think something was adorable. He mentally chuckled at his own changes. "Are you hungry, love?"

Feeling her stomach pleading with her to answer in the affirmative, she smiled softly, "Yeah."

He stood and walked across the room to a wardrobe she hadn't noticed before. Out of it he pulled the most exuberant kimono that, in her opinion, ever existed. It was spun of the finest silk and was a crimson red, eerily reminding her of the color of blood. It was stitched in black and had a scattered pattern of white sakura petals spread over the left sleeve.

Sesshomaru studied her face, pleased with her obvious approval. "It was my mother's favorite, would you do me the honor of wearing it?"

Kagome was so stunned she just sat for a moment trying to pull herself together. He was giving her something that personal? "I do not think I could do it justice Sesshomaru."

He gave her a patronizing smile and walked over to her. Grasping her chin and bringing her eyes to meet his he spoke, "My Kagome, it is the dress that will not do justice to you. So I ask again, will you wear it?"

Being unable to speak she simply nodded. He motioned for her to stand and he, with surprising gentleness, slipped it over her head and tied it in place. Without being asked, she held out his silk shirt for him to ease into. A quick smile, small but noticeable, was the only sign she received from him before he grabbed her small hand in his large calloused one and lead her to breakfast.

During the meal, Sesshomaru told her that they would be meeting the other lords in the library later, where they presently resided. The first to arrive was short dragon demon with thin, wiry white hair falling down to his backside and a tremendously bushy beard that swept the floor as he wailed. His green eyes were full of merriment and wisdom, reminding Kagome of her own grandfather, saddening her a great deal.

Sesshomaru felt waves of distress flowing from his mate and took her hand in his in a reassuring gesture. The old lord of the east Kowagi had been the first to arrive. Kowagi had always been like a second father to him and had been part of his life since he was a pup. The old man spoke up, "It is good to see you old friend, and who is this lovely young lady."

"Kowagi, this is my intended, Kagome."

The old man smiled, his grin convincing Kagome that he was not quite sane. He laughed and patted her on the shoulder, "You're a lucky one Sesshomaru. And you young lady, good luck trying to keep him in line." The man laughed at his own small joke and took a seat on a plush velvet chair.

The next man to arrive was, as Kagome was convinced, the oddest person she ever laid eyes on. He was, or seemed to be a wolf youkai, with one large blue eye and one small brown one. His walk made one of his legs look significantly shorter than the other. She couldn't tell if it was because it was or it just seemed that way. He wore an oddly feminine, overly large kimono that was sewn in a pattern so intricate it looked almost like the scales of a fish. Is hair was about shoulder, or it would have been if it was not practically sticking up straight.

Sesshomaru watched the northern lord Najaka hobble into the room. Even in demon years this man was ancient. He was supposedly around 8,000 years old, which would have had him born 2,000 years before his own father who died around 6,000. Najaka was known for his bizarre antics and odd beliefs. Leaning down to Kagome he warned her not to worry about anything the man said. In all actuality he didn't know why the man was still the acting lord of the lands.

To Kagome's relief, the man didn't say anything, opting to instead take the seat next to the eastern lord. Moments later a young demon, she couldn't decipher what type came sauntering into the room. He was tall and lean, on the muscular side and had a braid of fine black hair falling down his back. He was young, maybe slightly younger than Sesshomaru. Her observations were cut short by a snarl from Sesshomaru who had tightened his grip on her hand considerably.

"Koji, where is your father?" It sounded as if the entire question had been force from his throat due to the consistent growling that echoed around his statement.

"Father…couldn't make it, so he sent me in his stead," he answered in a bored manner while studying the room. He looked disgusted until he caught sight of Kagome and quickly approached her, not bothering to heed Sesshomaru's warning growls. Bending down he snatched her delicate hand into his overly rough grip and placed a sloppy kiss that may have been a failed attempt at aristocracy on top of it. His voice was cocky, like she would swoon at the site of him, "Why hello. I am Koji, son of the northern lord. Would you like to go find a private room and…get to know each other a little better?"

Sesshomaru was about to lose it, how dare this male come and touch his female like that? Quicker than lightening his hand shot out and snaked around the boy's throat in a crushing manner. He, against his better judgment, let his beast speak for him. "My female….grrrrr….my bitch….stay away…"

"Temper, temper Sesshomaru," he choked out as best he could. "How about we settle this the old way and fight for her, hm?"

Does the fool really think to challenge this Sesshomaru? He will quickly regret it. "Fine we will proceed in the dojo. I am sorry my friends, but you will have to come back another day." Without another word he grabbed Kagome and lead Koji through the winding halls to the practice dojo.

Kagome was in an absolute panic as she watched the two square off against each other. Koji had made the first move by swinging his fist clumsily towards the western lord. Wait, why was she worried? If he died she could leave right? Right now she didn't care why, she just wanted him to be alright. With one slash of the mighty dog lord's whip, the boy was down. Thinking it over Sesshomaru turned to face Kagome.

Unnoticed by the lord Koji used the last of his strength and slashed a great wound into his back. With that last act of sinful vengeance and cowardice, the man died.

But nobody noticed Sesshomaru was too consumed with pain and Kagome was overcome with worry. She ran the short distance to him, praying to every god that she knew that he would be okay. She stopped quickly and fell to her knees next to his chiseled body.

Sesshomaru was very aware of his beautiful mate next to him, worrying over him. A small part of him that wasn't consumed by other thoughts smiled, knowing that she cared.

Before she could pull herself together enough to heal him, a dangerously clawed hand snatched her around the waist and brought her roughly into a hard, muscled chest. Turning around, the only word that escaped her was, "Inuyasha?"

Sorry about how much that sucked but I wanted to ably to develop Inuyasha and Sesshomaru as characters a little more, plus it REALLY works for what is going to happen next. XXemzyXX


	8. Chapter 8

Blood red eyes, flooded crimson with demonic desire and glazed with a sheen of insanity scanned the land for a suitable shelter. The eyes rested on a small cave entrance, hidden in the side of a rock, invisible to the eye of any mere mortal being. Upon closer inspection he found the inside was dry and spacious leaving room for a fire and a make-shift bed. Further back he could here the trickle of water indicating that there was a small springs, hopefully large enough to bathe or at least wash in.

On the way to the clearing he had presently arrived at, the crazed half-demon had grabbed a decent amount of furs from a nearby village which he now threw down in an attempt to create a comfortable bed for his bitch.

Now that he had found shelter so there mating could proceed undisturbed, he could finally claim his female. Yes, she was his female. From the moment she freed him from that damn tree, she was his. Oh, his human wanted to believe differently but there was no denying the knowledge that in the back of his mind, even his civilized side fantasized about how wonderful she would feel, writhing under them in the heat of passion.

He ran now, ran with his soul more than his feet, for it was his soul that was being called by the unusual female. He snarled rather animalistic ally at the thought of her being in the care of another male. It was unthinkable to have ones bitch alone with a rival male. Something between a growl and an annoyed grunt sounded from him at the knowledge that he had failed to protect her. An insane grin spread across his face at the thought of the litter his bitch would bare him. Oh yes, she was beyond powerful. Their pups would be superb.

Some time later he raced into the hell hole he had once called home and sniffed out his woman. Enraged at the site of his future lover crying at the side of another male he snatched her back into his chest, snarling at her as if signaling for her to stay. He eyed the other male who seemed to be already wounded but attempting to get into a fighting stance. Knowing instictivly that he had the upper hand, he did the dishonorable thing and attacked a wounded man.

The rival male fell at his feet it was clear he die within seconds from blood loss, and then it happened. He had defeated the rival male and now had his bitch. He grabbed her roughly and gathered her to him and took off for his den.

Meanwhile, Jaken was waddling around the castle looking for his lord. The captain of the guard needed to know something about something to help plan something, it was all the same to him. Upon entering the dojo, the little toad nearly dropped over in cardiac arrest. His master, his beloved Sesshomaru-sama was lying dead, on the floor; face down in a pool of his own blood.

What to do, what to do what to do? For heavens sake he was retainer how was he supposed to deal with this! This is not what he was hired for it was simply NOT in the job description! Why oh why couldn't have been a traveling bard like the rest of his siblings? Well, maybe because he had no talent…but that was completely beside the point right now! I'll call the healer that's what I'll do, wait what good is a healer for a dead person…or demon. Oh, if only he had something to bring people back from the dead! Wait, the sword, the sword form InuTashio-sama!

Scurrying over to his master's side, he fumbled with the sword, trying to swing it so he could slash over the lord's chest. If Jaken had stopped, the little servant would have noticed the rhythmic pulsing of the ancient sword. In his hurry, he clumsily dropped the sword onto his master's torso, but apparently it was good enough. He watched in awe as the fatal wounds began to heal before his eyes.

Sesshomaru felt as if had fallen from the largest tree in Inuyasha's forest and smacked his head off of every branch on the way to the ground. Wait, what was he doing on the damn ground? Where was Kagome? Fuck, that bastard hanyou took her! Black demonic blood rushed through his veins, taking all sense of rationality and reason with it. Bleeding eyes glared at nothing, thinking only of how he would kill this male when he got his mate back. Without so much as a word to his savior, he dashed off faster than any other living being could fathom.

At the same time, Inuyasha had reached his den. He stopped abruptly, throwing his bitch on the furs and pushing a great boulder over the entrance to their sanctuary.


	9. Chapter 9

Turning to look upon his future mate, his already present arousal intensified tenfold. He panted in sweet agony at the thought of tangling those raven locks around his claws in the heat of passion. His bitch truly was one of the most beautiful females ever created.

Inuyasha stalked forward, towards his prey, thoroughly enjoying the stench of fear that emanated from her very being. Soon he dropped down upon his knees in front of the girl, licking his lips. With a force few knew he possessed he pounced on his new mate pinning to the ground. His head hovered over hers for a moment while he eyed her delectable lips. Moments later his mouth came crashing down onto her, cutting off all air the girl tried to suck in.

Wide-eyed, Kagome began to panic. What about Sesshomaru? For the first time in her life she wished that Sesshomaru, not his younger sibling was with her. Inuyahsa's rough tongue was brushing heavily against her closed lips. Silently demanding entrance to her sweet oral cavern.

A frustrated growl escaped the crazed demon's throat at the knowledge that his bitch refused him entrance. Running his wildly jagged claws up and down her sides, he halted his large hand so that his claws were slightly piercing the sensitive flesh under his female's breasts through the slim fabric barrier that separated skin from skin. Pushing harder, he felt her gasp against his lips and took the opportunity to jam his long, canine tongue into her mouth.

Kagome was so flustered that she could hardly think, or maybe that was from the lack of oxygen but either way her head seemed weightless as she began to tumble into a black abyss.

Inuysha was in his second heaven. She tasted so sweet and ripe as he ran the tip of his pink organ over each one of her teeth, feeling her own muscle push against his own. When her struggle began to subside, he quickly realized he had been literally breathing the oxygen out of her lungs. He did not want her unconscious for their joining, so he opted instead to latch onto the side of her exposed neck. Shortly, he grew bored with the meager amount of skin he was attending to.

Pulling back he clawed off her shirt, skirt and strange undergarments with one quick, precise stroke before flinging them across the cave, away from their intertwined bodies.

Gazing down at her milky white skin, he felt a certain part of his anatomy stiffen painfully. His hot mouth latched onto one of her pert, pink nipples as his hands roamed over her toned stomach. He would have to remember to join his pups during feeding time, this was very enjoyable. His calloused palm crept over her calf and gently tickled up her leg to the back of her knee. Here he began to trace his claws higher and higher towards the apex of her thighs.

She didn't understand, a time like this and all she could think about was Sesshomaru. The ice prince of all people! Here she was in the process of being raped and she pined for a blood relative of the guy! This was too absurd, but yet, in many ways it was completely fathomable. Her mind flashed images of all the sweet smiles he had given her, his gifts of adoration, the odd glint of caring behind those normally stoically masked eyes. Was she falling for that prick? Wake up girl! This was the same guy that tried to kill you…more than once! But she was quickly brought out of her revere by the feeling of an intense pressure at her center.

He had watched her face, she had been thinking about the other male. Growling in displeasure in decided to forego the gentle approach and slammed his long finger into her without any warning. It was so tight and hot he was tempted to give up control and completely ravish her. The thread that kept him semi-aware was intense need to see his bitch peak, the need to know, to see he had been the one the one to bring her such pleasures.

Running through the nearby forest was enormous silver Inu, large ivory fangs glistening in the moonlight and acid, glowing saliva dropping in pools on the land as he ran. He would retrieve his mate, retrieve his mate and kill that offending blemish on his noble bloodline. It did not take long fro him to trace his mate's scent and locate the cavern that the hanyou had obviously chosen as a den during their would-be mating.

A mighty roar rang from the beast, sending all the creatures within miles scurrying for shelter. The offending boulder blocking his path of entrance was smashed, revealing the most infuriating sight in the past and future of his long demonic life. Another male was laying on top oh his intended, practically mating with her. With one swipe of his massive paw, his rival was brought out into the open where the two males stared one another down. Another bellowing sound of fury filled the air as the mighty demon lord of the west ended it all quickly, bringing a massive paw down unto his prey. The satisfying crunch of bones and howls of pain calmed him enough to think of his mate.

No, this male pack, as alpha he couldn't kill him without facing dishonor. Unlike the hanyou he did care about things such as honor and duty. But the sight before him made him reconsider his last thought. His precious mate was sitting with her knees curled into her naked chest, shaking and trembling like a frightened animal. Trails of tears traced long, sorrowful trails against her delicate skin. His beast was inwardly howling its remorse and mourning the simple face that it could not protect his chosen female.

Kagome was unaware almost everything, besides the presence of her current guardian. The man she had trusted, she had loved at one time had attempted to violate her in the worse way any man could violate a woman. Why? Why was her life so difficult? Why couldn't she be a normal teenager who hung out with her friends and went to the movies? Even as she asked such questions, she knew the answer. It was simply not her destiny or fate to lead a normal life. For some time she had thought her fate was to stand beside Inuyasha, but now she was lost. So lost that she simply needed to rest. Yes, rest would help.

Sesshomaru watched through his large canine eyes as his mate curled up in a ball and quickly fell asleep. Gathering her up he began the short journey back to the Palace Moon. He knew nothing could ever make up for what he let happen, this was his fault…he had failed as her male. Would she still allow him to court her? If not, he wouldn't blame the girl. But, he also knew if she did deny him he would not ask suit of any other female. She was the only bitch he wanted; if he could not have her he did not want anybody.

Tomorrow he would give it to her. It was the thing (besides her of course) that was most precious to him. He planned on giving it to her on their mating night, but maybe it could repay some of the debt he owed her. Just maybe, he still had a chance……

Alright, so you know Inuyasha is NOT dead, and yes, Naraku and Rin will both be in this. I'm sorry if it stunk, I wasn't very happy with it myself but there is a part of this story I really want to write, but I have to get the plot to that point. Thanks again, XXemzyXX


	10. Chapter 10

Far north, situated in the uninhabitable mountainous wasteland that formed the upper edge of the border between the settled northern land and the unknown world, sat bleak looking manor. Centuries ago, in the early days of Japan, it had been used to house traveling lords on their way through the peaks. Lavish furnishings had adorned the halls and warm, welcoming fires had filled the stone hearths. Feasts had been held in the great dinning hall and the sounds of dance and merriment rand through the quarters. Now, in its decaying state, it had been chosen by a certain evil hanyou as his next make-shift fortress. With him, this man brought an even greater depression to fall upon the once joyous halls of the decrepit manor.

Instead of amiable lords and ravishing ladies, the stone walls now housed Naraku, the most feared creature in the whole of the four territories. Said hanyou was presently sitting in the darkest room of the western most corridors, brooding over the next strategic move to his carefully executed plot. For some time now he had been pondering the matter of how to recruit the help from the most revered demon, Sesshomaru the western lord. The man would make a perfect pawn, a secret weapon if you will to help him gather the shards. Of course he had the wind witch, but she was unfaithful and could most certainly not be trusted. He sensed her desire for freedom, her need to taste the concept. He had gone so far as to follow her, only to see her pleading with various demons for their help to overthrow him. Besides that she was obviously attracted to the demon prince which most certainly not go unnoticed by the man, therefore defeating his impartial facade. His other spawn, Kanna, was much more devoted to his obscure whims but also much less useful in actual combat. Her mirror, though, had led him unto his latest dilemma.

He had witnessed the goings on between the odd little priestess and the so-called prince of dogs. This very much complicated things, seeing as his two most powerful opponents were now joined in some manner. His original plan had been to use the lord's ward, that bothersome human girl, as bait to lure him into service. Yes, he had plotted to barter the girl's freedom for his help in collecting the remaining shards. Now, he was sure that the man's intended would create a much more convincing situation. The girl, however, was trouble. He had made the nearly fatal mistake of underestimating her before and did not plan on repeating the past. Time had only made her stronger, not to mention more beautiful.

His human side had an infatuation with Kikyo, the now dead miko, but he had grown out of it. His mind drifted back to the day he bargained his own charred flesh for the power he now held. All of it, every single second of searing pain had been endured only by the thought that he would be able to spend the rest of his days with her. After completing the transformation and obtaining a suitable host body from a rather attractive minor lord, he found out about her relations with that lowly mutt, Inuyasha. That was the day he decided love was nothing in the long run, eternal power would be much more self gratifying. And to this very day he still held that same motto.

The problem was that his demon self saw the little woman, that Kagome, as his intended. All and all he could not say that he totally disagreed. After all, she was breath-taking and held more power in her little finger than Kikyo had in her entire body. Years of crossing paths and battling had only fueled his infatuation to flown blown obsession. Each time he saw the woman it became harder and harder for him to see her as anything but his own, anything but his mate.

For months he argued with his more primitive self, telling himself she was the enemy. He reassured himself half-heartedly that it was not worth it. His beast reminded him that he would eventually need an heir to take his place as the all-powerful lord of all Japan. The best quickly shot down his idea of simply creating another child as ludicrous; the pup he impregnated the woman with would be ten times more powerful than anything he could ever create. Besides, the girl was the keeper of the sacred jewel; certainly she would be useful in his future ventures.

If he could capture the girl the lord would be forced to collect the shard of the scattered treasure in order to gain her safe return. Hm, if the lord was away he would have time to mate the girl. Not being an honorable man, the hanyou had no plans on completing any kind of courtship first; he would simply take her at the first opportune moment that arose. Though, if he mated the girl how would he get the idiotic dog to actually give the shards to him? There was always the option of creating a puppet of the girl, an art he had perfected over the period of the last few years in part due to his own cowardice, or as he liked to think of it, his superior sense of self-preservation. But it was more than likely that the lord would be able to tell the difference, leaving him back at square one. Well, he could always plainly refuse to let him see the girl until the shards were in his hand, but the lord was much too smart a man for that.

It struck him that he could simply set a trap to kill the man during the shard exchange, but he doubted he could come up with anything powerful enough. False promises of power also held no weight with Sesshomaru, his sense of honor was much too great to even consider such possibilities. Ah, but he had not doubt he could wound him and maybe that would be enough. If one of his minions slipped a shard into the wound the all powerful demon would be simply another puppet to use as he pleased. That was it! He was still as brilliant as ever, an evil genius if there had been one.

Satisfied with the plan, Naraku walked to the window and gazed out upon the moon. Even as a human he had been fascinated by the thing, the light source illuminating the inky blackness. That was his goal, to control all things dark and evil, yes, he wished to be as the moon. Though, little did he know he was already very much like the moon, the moon who stole its brilliance from the sun as he stole his power from others. What each of them had was not true power; it was simply a dangerous façade they manipulated into their lives.

Miles away in the house of the moon, a little girl woke from her sleep. The room was filled with all the finest toys, clothes and everything a small girl could ever dream of, yet she was worried. Rin had seen her Sesshomaru-sama come back to the castle that night before she retired and had viewed the state of her Kagome-mama. Honestly the child did already think of the woman as her mother, not that she could very much remember her real mother.

Flashback:

Rin turned over on the small futon her father had gotten for her a number of months ago. The little girl was full from her mother's delicious rice cakes that they had had for dinner and tired from playing in the fields while her father worked. On the verge of falling back to sleep, she saw an odd flickering light outside the window of her family's shack. It was almost as if the sun was playing hide and seek with the darkness, one appearing right after the other quite rapidly.

Standing on her small feet, the girl looked out of the uncovered window to see huts burning, people fleeing in panic and wild looking wolves running about. Thick black smoke filled her nose and mouth, gagging her and stung her chocolate brown eyes as she watched. Running out of the hut she saw her mama and papa, lying on the blood-spattered earth, motionless. What was wrong, she didn't understand. Hearing an old villager telling her to run, she instinctively took off into the thick forest she knew so well.

Not getting far she spotted a man. He had long silver hair, the prettiest Rin had ever seen, and was wearing silky white clothes. She watched his chest heave up and down in a rugged rhythm. Her small eyes caught the sight of a large slash across his chest with blood pouring out in copious amounts. Many times she had seen people enter her village with such wounds and be treated. Maybe she could help the man.

As she stepped closer his amber eyes opened slightly, looking into her own. Captivated by their beauty she simply stood there looking at him, until the man looked away. Getting water from a nearby stream, she washed the wound as she had seen the older women of her village do. Noticing the wincing breath he took, she shied away for a moment wondering if she was doing it wrong. She didn't think so and quickly continued her job, wrapping it as best as her little hands could before she heard noise from the nearby underbrush.

Going to look, she spotted the same wolves that attacked her village and took off, running in the direction away from the strange man. Behind her she could hear the footfall of her pursuer, seemingly getting closer with each passing second. Moments later she felt a pain in her side, then remembered nothing. The next thing she knew she opened her eyes to see the strange man standing over her with an odd looking sword.

End Flashback:

From that day until this very moment she had been with her Sesshomaru-sama. Each moment she spent with the cold, stoic man she grew more attached until soon she saw him as her second father, barely remembering anything about her other father. In fact, she had even grown to love Jaken-sama as a girl would lover her overly grumpy, complaining grandfather.

Now she had the chance to get a new mama! Kagome was perfect! She could sing and make flower crowns and told really good stories. Sometimes she even got to play with the little fox kit. Maybe she could have a big brother! Without any more thought, Rin yawned, turned over and pulled the covers up over her tired little head.

Down the hall, in his study, Sesshomaru sat at his oaken desk. He had bathed Kagome, taking great pains not to wake her, which had not been an easy task, dressed her in a clean robe and tucked her into their bed. He had even made the maid bring him extra blankets so he could stop her shivering. Never in all of his life had he felt so horrible. The woman he loved, yes he knew he loved her and he'd be damned if he didn't let the whole world know it, if only to gain her attentions, was nearly raped. His promise to keep her safe was shattered, he was no better than his father.

It was a different kind of pain he had brought to his mate, but pain none the less. How could she ever forgive him, part of him insisted that she shouldn't, that she deserved better. He knew it was the truth, but still selfishly hoped that she would forgive him. In the morning he planned to take her to his mother's secret garden that no other knew of. It seemed that it was the only place he could be at peace lately. There he planned to give her his gift. It had taken him nearly an hour to find where in the world he had hidden it since the last time he had gazed upon it.

As the sun began to overlook the land once more, like it had done for so many years past since the beginning of time, his sensitive ears heard his mate stir. Now, was the time, now he had to face her, look her in the eyes and see her hatred and disappointment. He took a deep breath and swung the door open, nearly falling over at what he saw.

Well, that's it for now. I don't know how much longer this story is going to be or if anybody actually wants me to finish it but oh well. I'm planning on having a new character come into play, please vote and tell me whether you would rather see Hiten, Bankatsu or Yoko Kuruma (different series I know). Also, would you rather have them go to the future so Sesshomaru can meet Kagome's family, or should I just not bother with that? Lastly, did you like it? Thanks guys, XXemzyXX


	11. Chapter 11

His heart skipped a beat and he felt a tremendous weight lift from his demonic shoulders when he saw her flashing that radiant smile. The trials of dried tears on her lovely face could be seen slightly when she happened to turn her head at the right moment so that the morning light filtering through the window could capture their outline, but ironically enough her luscious lips were pulled into a tired, endearing smile. Sesshomaru loved that smile, that simple, almost mindless, gesture that made his world stop. His mind whirled and wrapped itself around the thought of her smiling at him, and only him, for the rest of eternity. At that second in time he knew that here was nothing he would not do to see her in such a state.

Kagome had been sitting in the familiar room, reliving that horrible night once more. It seemed as if it was not enough for whatever god there might be to plague her dreams with such images, but now they found fit to her haunt her even into the world of the waking. Two years of love, trust and hardship had been abandoned in a matter of a few hours. Didn't he remember her holding him in her arms on the nights of the new moon, his constant promises to protect her from all that would cause her harm, the timid kisses they shared anything? She had been so sure that even if he did not love her in the way she had spent so long loving him that they would always have something. Apparently not, her tears and pleas had done nothing to stall his unwanted advances from the prior night.

Hearing the slight creaking of a door, she gazed up and couldn't help but smile. Her savior had entered the room, looking like a man drowning in his own consuming worry. His broad shoulders were sagging like she have never witnessed and his eyes held much plainly visible regret and remorse. Standing on weak, wobbly legs she slowly made her way over to his slightly less regal form and threw herself into his muscled arms.

The lord was so stunned that it took him a moment to regain enough awareness of his situation to wrap his arms around her petite form. Pulling her to his toned chest, his mind let go of a huge sigh of relief but his beast still growled crude things at his vulnerable mind about what a failure he was as a mate, a protector and simply a male in general. How could she ever take him back when he was such a weakness to her? Why should she even consider it? "My Kagome, this Sesshomaru…" he sighed, not used to what was this called? Oh, yes, apologizing. "This Sesshomaru is…is sorry for failing you. You had placed your trust in my, believing my promises of protection and they were not fulfilled." Never, in his hundreds of years on god's green earth had he ever done anything so difficult. He was practically proclaiming his weakness to the entirety of the world. A small part of him wanted to find some way to blame this on the female in front of him, to say that she was not strong enough. But, he could not do any such thing to a creature so pure and full of kindness. The great lord of the western lands braced himself, preparing to speak the hardest words of his long, infamous life. "Pet, this Sesshomaru will understand if you do not wish to let his suit be furthered. It is only to be expected that a strong female such as yourself would…would see…would see this Sesshomaru as we-we…we…"

Kagome knew what he was trying so desperately to tell her, and some part of her understood his inability to say the word. The demon in front of her held much more pride and honor than she would have ever thought possible in any one being. A usually dormant part of her knew that saying a word such a 'weak' would be admitting his lack of many more things than a simple promise to one such as herself. Pushing away from him, she tilted her head up and locked her electric blue eyes with his honeyed-amber orbs. "Sesshomaru, you are most certainly not, as you seem to be trying to proclaim, 'weak' in any manner. How could you say that you failed me? You saved me! If you hadn't shown up I would have lost so much more than a bit of my pride and dignity. Besides that I would never call off your 'suit' as you say it. I promised that I would stay with you for a period and I will."

Sesshomaru, meanwhile, was astounded that she could feel any pull or a need of any sort to fulfill her promise to him when he had so easily broken his own word. Any demon bitch would have most certainly walked out on him by now. Perhaps they truly were created for one another. Suddenly, he remembered his gift. "Kagome, I wish to show you something very special to this Sesshomaru." He eagerly watched her face for any negative reaction, but was once again stunned beyond imagination to find none.

She had sensed the need and hope in his voice, but could he possibly have to show her that was so important? "Alright," she smiled up at him. Before she knew she had been scooped up in seeming iron-made arms and flying towards an unknown destination. She felt her eyelids drooping from her lack of sleep for the past few nights and was soon asleep, snuggling into Sesshomaru's mighty chest.

Sesshomaru watched his beloved as she dozed off in his arms, thinking on how lucky he truly was. Soon, he landed in an empty field, filled with knee high blades of yellow, golden, light and dark green, brown and tan grass and reeds. Interspersed between the colorful pallets were hundreds of thousands of western wild flowers in vivid shades of purple, crimson, fire-orange and baby blue. His mind brought him back to a past time when he had also seen fit to inhabit the grasslands.

Flashback

Sesshomaru, a pup of only 50 summers, ran through the fields, protected by the watchful eye of his mother. The current lord of the western lands, his father, had dropped the pair off at the spot they currently dwelled upon as he was on his way to another one of his increasingly more frequent callings of the court. To the nobles of the land, a calling of the court was a way to come together when one of the members had important royal business to discuss. Of course, being the lord of the land, his father was the only court member would could personally call together a gathering and summon members.

He looked back at his mother and two tiny fangs became visible as they poked out above his little lips which were pulled into a grin. Because his father was always so busy, most of his time was spent with his mother. She had taught him how to read, write and was currently teaching him about the rules and ways of sums and the customary traditions of the court.

Skipping back to the female demoness he cried, "Mama, mama, mama!"

The woman gave her pup an endearing smile and swept him up into her surprisingly strong arms. Her son, her little Sesshomaru, was now and had always been the light of her life, especially under the current circumstances. She did not know if her mate thought her stupid, or was simply that daft himself, but for some months now he had been calling these court meetings or at least that was his excuse. The woman knew that he was breaking a most ancient dog demon rule with his unfaithfulness, but loved him too much to expose and dishonor him in such a manner. Each day she felt her once fiery soul die a little more. Soon her wonderful pup would be old enough and she could simply let go and end her own immortal life. "What is it my pup?"

The young inu had watched his mother's face and had smelt the sudden sadness radiating form her in powerful wave, tainting her normally beautiful scent. Burying his nose into the familiar crook of her neck, he spoke, "Mama, where does papa go all the time? He never used to have this many reasons to leave us."

She chuckled to herself at the unknown truth her pup had spoken, but this was only another problem. How did she tell her son that his father no longer felt fulfilled by this one life? Sighing she said, "Do not worry my pup. In time you will understand. But promise me one thing, son."

Little Sesshomaru would have, at that moment promised his mother anything to be able to sense her faint happiness again. Yes, even at his young age he had noticed how the woman, how his mama, was hurting. "What mama, anything!"

It was amazing and recently quite eerie how much her little boy looked liked the man that had once promised her his demonic heart. For a moment she wondered if her InuTashio had been as adorable in his youth. "When you find yourself a mate, Sesshomaru, make sure you do all you can to make her happy, do you understand?"

"But mama, girls are icky," was the only reply from the little boy before her ran back into the flower field to continue his games.

End Flashback

But this time Kagome was fully aware of her surroundings and waiting patiently for her companion to come out of his musings. When he golden eyes turned to her once again she spoke, "Sesshomaru, it is the most beautiful place I have ever seen."

"It was a favorite spot of my mother's. She used to bring this Sesshomaru here often during his pup-hood." Looking across the field, his mind conjured images of his own pups playing the tall grasses just as he had, the only difference being that he would be watching over them with his mate, unlike his father. At that time he felt a sudden need to ask Kagome if she wanted pups, more specifically his pups. "My Kagome…do you ever think about pups? Do you want to be a mother?"

Slightly taken aback by the forward question, it took a moment for her to regain some semblance of composure. In all honesty she had always wanted children, but she knew that his question was more specific than that. The man before her wished to know if she wanted to have his children, a thought that at one time never would have occurred to her. She weighed her words carefully and answered, "Hm, I have always wanted children, or as you say pups, but truthfully they were always fathered by Inuyasha."

Sesshomaru felt his demonic black heart drop to the bottom of his chest. Demonic instincts urged him to take the bitch here and now. 'She is ours! Our bitch! Get her with pup! She will be bound to us…have to stay away from others males! Pup her!' As he fought against his inner voice, his eyes bled a crimson red. The only thing holding him back was the issue of her trust. He knew that he could not live out his days with her hating him. Even her slightest discomfort caused him unbelievable worry and pain. Remembering how he had scared her with his demon for he turned away, not wanting to cause her fear.

Kagome watched the hurt flash across his face, followed by anger and then saw him turn away.

The questionably sane demon lord stiffened when he felt a hand a small hand resting on his face. Turning around he saw the compassion in the girl's eyes followed by the words, "But now I can't help but think about having pups with…you, Sesshomaru." The last two words were whispered so that it was heard, even for the impeccable hearing of the demon lord to pick out.

Deciding it was the right moment, Sesshomaru pulled a beautifully blooming rose from under his silk kimono top and held it out to his chosen, "Kagome, this was given to my mother by my father. There is no other in the world of its kind, for it will remain forever in bloom as long as the giver lo…lo…cares for the receiver. This Sesshomaru gives it to you so that you will always know of my feelings, even if I am not with you."

Mouth hanging agape, Kagome nearly fell over. Never, not evening her wildest dreams, had she pictured something so romantic. Throwing all rational thoughts out the window, she leaned over and was about to press her lips to his soft pale ones when they were interrupted by a maniacal laugh and she was pushed behind Sesshomaru.

"Well, well, well," they heard, "What have we here?"

Okay, first of all thanks for all the positive feed back. Secondly, 3 of you voted for Hiten, 3 of you voted for Bankatsu, 3 of you voted for Yoko, 2 people said not to include any and then 1 person said anybody except Yoko. So…if you seriously want one of these guys to be included please vote, all of your opinions on the matter are appreciated. Also, I would like to say that I was inspired with the idea for Sesshomaru's gift from a HP fiction story. It holds only a vague similarity, but I would like to give credit nonetheless. Also, I've had people ask for a lemon and people ask me not to write one, please tell me what you think. And lastly, just, did you like it?


	12. Chapter 12

Sesshomaru's frosty, golden gaze landed on a certain infamous hanyou. Naraku. His usual miasma was seeping from his revolting being, causing all of the gorgeous flowers within his range to quickly wilt and die. Unlike their prior meetings, Naraku was wearing neither the audacious white baboon pelt nor his purple male kimono, which spoke loudly and obnoxiously of false nobility. No, today he wore a more fitting color, black. It did, to some degree, seem more appropriate considering the personality of the hybrid in question. Black silk kimono pants hung loosely around his lower half, while his upper body was covered in another piece of black silk, this one adorned with small intricate patterns of navy blue thread. It seemed almost ironic to see the power-hungry glutton wearing such delicate garb.

The revered lord of the western lands let loose a vicious warning snarling, starting deep in his toned chest and spilling out his perfect pale lips. At one time, Sesshomaru had considered the aforementioned hanyou a possible ally. It was true that he held a deep distaste for half-breeds, seeing them as a raw blemish on the species of demon. He also, didn't trust the man at all, but being the ruler of a domain for many years had taught him that allegiance wasn't built on trust. Their first meeting not been exactly accidental. It would seem the hanyou had sought him out with the proposition of regenerating his left arm in return for the destruction of another pesky half-breed, Inuyasha. He did indeed receive the arm of a human, a fact that still to this day revolted him in every aspect of his regal being, but it had been fused unto his personage with one of those horrid jewel shards.

Unlike most demons, Sesshomaru did not desire the jewel of four souls. Growing up the way he did, he had been taught the value of honor and other such concepts, a lesson that his dear brother was in dire need of. Increasing one's power with the help of any magical or enchanted device was all but an outright lie. He remembered the battle with his half-demon relation that had ensued after his arm was oh so graciously restored. All had seemed to be going well until his Kagome, had entered into the feud. She had easily spotted the shikon no kakera, shocking the absolute hell out of him. He had noticed her power in the tomb of his late father and had at the time, still been trying to dismiss her from his thoughts. In the end, he had ended up with no arm and had been forced to look for other means of restoration.

Naraku's mind was also quite occupied at the moment. The simple beauty of his intended awed him for the thousandth time. He could picture he sapphire eyes clouded over with pleasure as he thrust into her tight sheath. Mmm, it was painfully obvious from her scent that the girl was a virgin. He had already begun to pride himself on being her first and only lover. Yes, even he, the most detested of all demons and human alike abided by the mating rules. Actually, he didn't but his beast was so adamant about being 'faithful' to their mate, he had stopped questioning it, recognizing the topic to be a danger to himself and the girl.

Her strength emanated through the open fields, the enormous force of holy power causing a shiver to crawl up his spine. Looking at the lord, the energy seemed to taking the opposite affect on him, swirling around him, lulling him into relaxation. This possibility angered the hanyou to no end. How dare that little bitch use her powers to comfort another male? He made a mental note to give her a nice long 'lecture' about the consequences of such actions once they had returned to his manor. All in all, his Kagome would make a wonderful dark queen. He knew from previous experience with the miko Kikyo, that such god-given power could easily be redirected and molded to the will of another, darker being. Though, he did have to question the difficulty of such an act with Kagome, for she was much stronger than Kikyo had ever been both in life and in death.

He recalled making that nearly fatal mistake of underestimating her on one of their previous meetings. Not thinking her a threat, he had turned his back on her and concentrated his energies on eliminating one of his hanyou brethren. Without his knowing, she had fired one of her spirit arrows, charged with her holy powers into his exposed back, nearly killing him off for good. His only option had been retreating to the northern mountains, where he stayed gaining back his strength for months on end. This also would not be a problem from now on, considering he could simply get his mate to heal him instantly. The girl would certainly have her benefits.

Looking over to the form of the evil hanyou, the perfect embodiment of darkness, lord Sesshomaru saw the lust and greed radiating from him foul being as his crimson eyes roamed the body of his Kagome. Deciding the silence was rather uncomely, not to mention unproductive, he decided to deal with the half-demon rather quickly and then return to the sanctuary of the palace moon with his chosen mate. "Naraku, why have you entered the lands of the west without the permission of this Sesshomaru?"

Naraku, deciding not to answer the inu-demon directly, instead turned to the girl. Taking slow, calculated steps forward he began to speak what had been nagging at his wretched soul for a time coming on months. "There is only one woman that I have found, in all of the lands and all of my excursions that caught my eye. She was the only being I, myself, found worthy of my eternal affection and company. I would mold her into my perfect companion and show her the joys of darkness and the rush of eternal power that comes with it. This woman would stay by my side and help me rule my domain, and soon the whole of Japan. She could satisfy all my needs and breed fine pups with me. Pups that would one day take over my legacy, and reign supreme in my death. This one woman alone could listen to my woes and pains, all of which come with the glory of such a copious, overflowing spring of dark power." His blood colored orbs looked onto the cerulean eyes of the futuristic miko. "And you, my dear Kagome, are that woman."

Shuddering, Kagome retreated into her own mind recalling all the reasons she had for hating this man. He had caused Inuyasha so much pain in the charade of betrayal with his ex-lover Kikyo. Sango had not only lost her village, people and family, but now this…this creature tormented the woman by having her face the lifeless, controlled shell of her dead brother on the battle field. Miroku and his family had been cursed with the wind tunnel, an air rift that grew forever until it eventually sucked the owner inside himself, resulting in a most painful death. She even felt bad for the wind witch, the woman who wanted freedom so badly but was kept on this man's short little leash all the time. No, mating with Naraku was most certainly not an option.

Sesshomaru was livid at the thought of any being having the nerve to proclaim suit to his intended. His normally amber eyes bled a crimson red, his spine bristled in fury while his fangs and claws elongated and his abnormally adept sense heightened to an absurd degree. He watched as the hanyou grabbed his woman and began to speak. "Well, my dear lord Sesshomaru-sama, it would seem we have a small problem to deal with. It would seem that you and I have both taken a liking to the fair Kagome, here. I suggest that I take her with me and you may have her back when you collect for me the rest of the shards, or I could simply mate her right here and now."

Sesshomaru was not stupid and knew that agreeing to the former would not save his mate and the latter just served to piss him off even further. Knowing the demon before him was a simple puppet, the coward was too frightened to come in person it seemed, he jumped toward the replicate and easily dismembered it with his demon energy whip of light. He listened to the deep, baritone voice of the rival male as it faded away into the woods, "You may have won this time, Sesshomaru-sama. But, let me assure you that next time we meet you will not dispose of me so easily. I always get what I want."

Lord Sesshomaru quickly transformed back to his more humanoid figure but still seemed to running on his baser instincts. The sweet smell coming from the girl told him that he had not yet claimed her in a physical way, but that could be easily remedied. He stalked over to the girl, almost as if she was his prey, which in a sense she was. Pouncing, he began rubbing his hard body into her soft curvaceous one, trying to permanently imprint his heavy masculine scent.

Kagome was struggling like a mad woman, until she felt the weight of lord Sesshomaru quickly disappear from on top of her. Looking up to see the cause of such a sudden retreat, she gasped. Before her was a full demon Inuyasha, whom she had presumed to be healing back in the old village at the moment. Shivers coursed through her body at the memory of his attack on her body and mind. Looking around, she watched as an also bloody eyed Sesshomaru leaped upon his brother, clawing and tearing at any flesh he could reach.

It seemed almost ironic, how she had once depended upon Inuyasha and held contempt for his brother. Now the roles were reversed and it confused her. She had spent so much time in this era with hanyou, had trusted him and promised to stand by his side. At one point, god knows how, she actually felt love for him. She could see now that it was only the love of a sister for a brother, but at the time she had thought it to be more. And Sesshomaru, well, things were getting rather complicated there.

With his previous wounds not being quite healed yet, despite his demon healing abilities, Inuyasha easily fell under the mighty claws of his kin and swiftly lost consciousness.

Having his blood lust fulfilled, Sesshomaru picked himself up in his usual regal manner and walked over to his chosen. He had seen her quickly black out after the battle between he and his brother. Guilt tore at his soul for trying to force himself upon her, even if he was not in a stable mental state at the time. Soon, he would have to explain to her the need he was beginning to feel, the need to claim her so rival males would be automatically warded off. Perhaps, when she awoke he would attempt this.

Miles away, the actual Naraku was watching the two in the magical mirror his youngest spawn carried. His plan had failed, and he had obviously vastly underestimated the western lord. He sighed, a sharp searing pain shooting through his ribs. Though many did not know, the damage inflicted on his puppets caused him some minor injuries. Nothing to the extent of the damage that was inflicted on the actual replicate, but it was still a small part of him that stayed attached to such minions and brought pain with their defeat. It was a small price to pay though for his guaranteed safety.

Maybe he didn't have to play fair; he was after all the most hated being in the known world. Why not live up to the reputation? Even if Sesshomaru could easily defeat his puppets, perhaps he causes a long enough distraction to give him time to sneak into the palace moon. He would have to make Kanna check into the castles weak points, if it had any at all. Since it was easy for him to change forms, he could take on the shape of the lure and lure the girl to him. She had no demon senses, so she would not be able to scent the difference. Yes, now he just had to wait for the opportune moment to strike.

Back in the fields, a demon Inuyasha snarled. He could feel the warm, sticky blood drying upon his skin. The demon knew he would be coming into his heat in mere days. Even now, the simple memory of the girl's soft curves pressed against his more masculine figure made his member stand at attention. If he was going to win his woman, he would need help…and he knew exactly where to get it. Pulling himself up slowly, he started off in search of the one woman who could give him the required assistance. Oh yes, this would be good.

A/N: So, yes to the lemon (make sure to look for it in the near future). I have decided there is a role I want to fill and have planned out in this story so please help me out. It seems people want Yoko or nobody. Which leaves me in quite the dilemma seeing as people have specifically asked me NOT to do a crossover. So, if anybody could suggest somebody else please tell me. Anyway, what did you think?


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Wow! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in months, but a lot has been going on. My brother had a few emergency surgeries and I needed to be there for him. Okay, I know that this chapter SUCKS and has probably been a huge let-down to anybody who was actually waiting and I'm sorry. I'm just getting back into it, plus it sets up well for the next chapter so please just bare with me. Thanks again and sorry, XXemzyXX

'Ignorance was simply not an option at this point.' These words raced through the head of the Taiyoukai of the West as he sat rigidly in the corner. The seat itself was not uncomfortable; in fact it was padded with the exotic cotton that was grown to the far south of the eastern lands instead of the typical hay filling of the westerners. An intricately designed piece of sick covered the cushioning and though exceedingly detailed, the dark mahogany framework was quite tolerable. No, it was his own racing mind providing this unwelcome emotion.

Sesshomaru was not and had never been the type to worry. After all, what had he ever had to lose really? Of course there were his lands, but those were maintained by the infamous dog demon lord for honorary purposes only. This time things were much more complicated, for he did indeed have a pawn to be taken so to speak.

Growling his frustration and rubbing his temples, Sesshomaru fought off the urge to break everything in sight. It seemed as if every moment he left his beautiful Kagome unmated, another male came along parading for her affection.

In the end, the demon lord Koga had been reasonable. The pup knew when to back down. Being the elder male, it was obvious that he, Sesshomaru, would be able to provide for the female more fully and practically. However, the look in those blue eyes of his, the dedication, lust and even love he had seen there had his hair on end and defenses up. Although the wolf had agreed, he would not put it past the mangy, reckless pup to retract his word and come after Kagome.

Inuyasha, however, was a different matter. In Sesshomaru's opinion, the hanyou was simply not intelligent enough to know when to stop his pursuit. True, he had been the girl's first protector, a thought that still pumped fury through his veins. Indeed he had on many occasions lamented over the reality that he himself was not the first to stumble upon the little angel. Things would have been different, in spite of his general distaste for humans Sesshomaru knew he would have taken her with him. The thought of Inuyasha's abduction and treatment of Kagome some nights before still caused his inu to become riled. _::Foolish. Ours. Our mate. Punish halfbreed.:: _In all honesty, Sesshomaru couldn't say he didn't agree with his more primitive side for once.

Traditionally, a male has to prove his worth to his chosen female in some form, but he knew his intended's newest suitor was not the type to abide by any rules. It was Naraku that worried him the most and brought much strain upon him. Although a hanyou, he was certainly the most powerful of the rival males, even if the power was not his own. It was not below the dark hanyou to resort to downright deceit to get what he desired.

Something certainly had to be done, but Sesshomaru was still in the midst of trying to figure out what exactly that would be. The simplest option would be simply to mate with her as quickly as possible. It would not only bond their auras, but also imbed his scent into her blood stream. However, he knew Kagome would never agree with this solution and he wasn't about to enact her eternal wrath by taking her using force. Although she was wearing his collar, it was more an announcement of their intentions and didn't provide his female with any absolute protection.

Confinement was another option the dog general had considered, but overall he decided against it for fear of killing his beloved's fiery spirit. Standing, Sesshomaru resolved to come to a solution _with _his bitch.

Standing, taking a moment to roll the aching muscles in his broad masculine shoulders, Sesshomaru began the walk back to his chambers where he had laid Kagome when he had returned from the fields of his childhood.

Pushing forward the seemingly ancient door leading to his chambers, Sesshomaru cursed the screeching hinges that had held it in its place for centuries. It had never bothered him personally, for it had served as an extra alert system if any creature had taken it upon themselves to enter his chambers, not that his extraordinary senses couldn't have detected it anyway. But now that he was no longer alone, the lord didn't wish for the agitating sound to disturb his mate's slumber.

His father had once told him that when he took a mate, his mind would work differently. It would speculate upon and pick out every possible disturbance to his beloved and fumble for a solution. At that time, the young lord had simply scoffed at the notion of being so sensitive to the needs of another, but now he understood.

Turning his ethereal form, Sesshomaru's intense amber gaze landed upon the form of his intended. Her tiny frame was curled in the center of his large western style futon, lying upon several layers of expensive silk and foreign furs. Noticing her slight shiver, he cursed himself for not having thought to wrap her in the blankets that had been so freely at his disposal.

His inu growled at him from its mental cage, showing its clear annoyance at the folly of his more civilized counterpart. Shaking his regal head, Sesshomaru walked swiftly over to his futon and situated himself behind his intended, curling his much lager body around her smaller form. Muscular arms wrapped around her torso, tail curled possessively around her and legs thoroughly entangled, a contented growl rumbled through the lord's chest. It was of course common practice for a male inu to share the heat of his body with his chosen female, only one more small sign of their eternal dedication.

Burrowing his head into his bitch's voluminous mass of silky black tresses, he inhaled deeply in a very canine like manner. His Kagome's scent soothed both he and his beast like nothing they had ever experienced before. Letting his mind wander, Sesshomaru began to speculate on what she would smell like once he had laced his scent with hers, or even better, when she was carrying his pups within her womb.

Opening a large, masculine hand Sesshomaru protectively covered his female's womb. A rare smile graced his normally stoic lips at the thought of their pups. Against common belief it seemed, he truly did want to be a father, well, only if the mother of his pups was the woman currently situated snuggly within his arms.

Feeling his woman stir, Sesshomaru took one last long inhalation of his intended's scent to calm his usually non-existent nerves. He had a feeling that this particular conversation wasn't going to over well.

Steeling himself for the ensuing argument the dog demon lord of the west watched as his female raised one of her delicate hands and rubbed at her lidded eyes like a newborn pup.

Kagome had felt a presence in the room almost immediately after hearing that irritating old door. Honestly, she'd only been there for a few days and already those hinges were starting to drive her absolutely crazy. Feeling the bed dip, the futuristic miko determined the presence to be only that of her unlikely host.

Only a few days ago, the presence of Sesshomaru would have put her nerves on end and roused her from sleep without a second thought, but now things were different. It truly was odd how quickly things could change. Knowing she was safe, the woman child relaxed her muscles once more and reached up to rub the sleep from her eyes. Turning to gaze up into the molten amber orbs that stared down at her she spoke, "Mmm…Hello Sesshomaru-sama."

Sesshomaru himself took a minute to respond, letting the female's voice float over him and fill his senses, "Since when have you ever addressed this Sesshomaru by his formal title woman?"

Mere days ago, Kagome wouldn't have picked up on the jest behind her companion's monotonous voice but now it was blazingly clear to her. Laughing lightly and nestling her head under his chin she countered, "I'm sorry Fluffy, I'll remember not to do it again."

Barely hearing her, Sesshomaru was internally trying to regain some semblance of control over his beast. Unknowingly, by placing herself under his chin she had shown him a very widely excepted inu sign of submission. Being a fully grown male with his intended lying with him in his chambers, this gave his primal side several less than appropriate ideas. Reflexively tightening his arms around her and reigning in his inner beast he spoke, "Kagome, there is something we much talk about."

Becoming more aware by the second Kagome attempted to sit up and stretch but the prison made by the dog lord's arms only tightened while she was reprimanded with a displeased growl and a small nip on the fleshy lobe of her ear. Releasing her own rumble of annoyance Kagome responded, "And what would that be?"

Not pleased with his bitch's sarcasm, he nipped her once again before continuing. "You are aware that more than one male besides this Sesshomaru has shown interest in you as a mate. As you also know, you are to be mine and it leaves this Sesshomaru's beast unsettled when other males approach you. So, Kagome-mine, how would you propose to deal with this?" Sesshomaru had decided to ask for his female's opinions first, for he knew he had a strong headed mate and it would be easy to present his own solutions if she was eased into the situation.

This time the young woman did actually manage to sit up despite the protests of her companion. Now, she was of course enjoying her time with Sesshomaru and beginning to feel for him but she was still Kagome. The same Kagome who hated to be claimed by anyone. "I thought our agreement was to let me decide for myself after one full moon cycle. I have in no way agreed to be yours yet or for that matter at all," she huffed indignantly.

Taking her response as a form of preformed rejection to his suite, Sesshomaru's eyes became tinted pink and his voice much deeper. "Do you reject this Sesshomaru?"

Not looking over to see the effect of her words, Kagome continued on her tirade. "I'm not yours, I'm not Inuyasha's, I'm not Koga's, I'm certainly NOT Naraku's and I don't plan to be!"

At the mention of each of his rival males, the lord's control completely snapped and had pounced upon the unruly female. His now crimson eyes bore down into her sapphire depths while his fangs were bared to her in a most dominant manner.

Realizing the situation, Kagome's only thought was, 'Uh-oh…'

His calloused feet carried his swiftly among the trees, steering towards his final destination. The home of the old miko Keade. The demonic inu smirked at the thought. The foolish villagers and even passing demons seemed to constantly underestimate the eyeless old hag. But no, he, Inuyasha, saw it for what it was. Power, a good deal more of it than any was willing to give the ancient wench credit for.

Now, the hag's power could not even touch that of his Kagome's, but it would be suitable none the less. At the thought of his intended's power a pleasurable shiver ran down his spine, pooling warmly into the region of his loins. The woman's aura had tempted him for years now. It caressed him, calmed, aroused him, called to him. And the bitch had no clue.

Mmm, she was delicious. He slowed as his hips instinctively started to jerk into a light thrusting motion at the thought of her underneath him. Stopping for a moment, he leaned against the trunk of an old tree and reached his hand down, rubbing his nice-sized bulge through the red fabric of his hakamas. His encounter with the girl the other night had left him with a sore sac and a sense of raging desire.

Not being able to stand it anymore, his large, masculine hand dove under the fabric and produced his large erection. The tip was an angry red, the veins clearly visible. His eyes rolled back into his skull as felt himself pulse.

Tearing his now crimson colored eyes open, he began to jerk himself. His motions were hard and long, knowing that he wouldn't need much to send him over the edge. Ever since he had met Kagome this had been one of his most frequent pastimes. His hanyou ears could almost hear the moans, the cries of his name that she would release while he pumped her.

Speeding up his motions until his clawed hand was only a blur; he could feel his warm seed shooting up his shaft. It was not long before could see streams of his own sticky white seed shooting out in powerful jets. Arranging his hand back at the base of his erection, he felt his knot. Not being inside a female when he released always caused him a good bit of pain, for the demands of his inu were to impregnate his bitch. Putting a slight amount of pressure onto it he watched as even more of his load was shot onto the leaf covered forest floor.

Finished, he shook himself off and placed himself gently back in his hakamas before slowly walking off in the direction that he had originally been heading before he had to take care of his little problem. Looking back over his shoulder at the mess he had created, his mind drifted to thought of the beautiful pups his Kagome would provide him with.

Having thought of the topic often over the past few days he had already decided that he wanted a whole litter. He could see her now, impregnated with his seed, carrying his pup while she sat nursing another little one.

She would make an excellent mother, and he himself planned to be an exceptional father. As the male, he would have to provide for his bitch and pups. He knew that he would have to find a place to make their home, but the topic wasn't the foremost on his mind at the present time.

No, his mind had returned to thought of the old miko. Not being nearly as moronic as everyone seemed to presume him to be, Inuyasha had thought of a plan. Actually he had been gifted with the idea by his own strife. A necklace of subjugation. It was exactly what he needed. Something to control his bitch when she acted out. A way to make her submit without all of the fuss and beating. No male demon ever enjoys using violence against their mate, with the possible exception of a certain dark hanyou, but it is necessary to do what is best for the female.

The only question now would be how to convince the old woman to give it to him. Inuyasha severely doubted that the truth would do him much good in the instance, but then again when had it ever? Perhaps he could tell the hag it was for another person…the dead miko perhaps. He could say it was for Kagome's protection, which wasn't a complete lie since it was. The girl just didn't see it yet. Smirking to himself, Inuyasha exited the woods and headed toward the village of Keade.


	14. Chapter 14

Total Story Disclaimer: The characters portrayed in this story are not mine. I give credit and thanks to their owner and originator.

A/N: Hey, I got this update out as fast as I could so I'm hoping to satisfy each of you, however, there are a few things that I need to go over first. Beginning with the rating of this story, I'm very well aware that not everybody abides by them (persons under 18) and it doesn't bother me either way but this story is rated mature. I've given you a fair warning. Please avoid complaining to me about the sexual content. Most of you have told me that you enjoy it, and I'm glad, but for those of you that don't then you should consider another story. The other thing was that I wanted to dedicate this chapter one of my readers who sent me the most incredible review I've ever had. Things aren't going well right now and you made me smile. Thank you, InnocentStarInTheAnimeSky. This chapter is for you.

As always, the dirt path leading up to the hut of the old village miko was highly visible, having been trampled down by the approaching footsteps of many an ally and foe. Surveying the village, Inuyasha let his eyes rest on the semi-dilapidated hut that housed the answer to his prays. Although it wasn't much, the hanyou was proud of the small town. Well, not so much the town as his own ability to protect it. Didn't Kagome see what a good alpha he was? How he took the small settlement under his proverbial wing so to speak? Obviously, she had not. But it didn't matter. Soon the female would have no choice but to cease and desist her petty resistance and comply with her submission. Knowing that that day was soon to come, he entered through the rather lower entrance way and turned his head around to see the old hag in her usual garb, mixing up some sort of healing solution.

Authority ringing through his now confident voice he spoke, "Woman, get your ancient ass over here now. I need to your help." He watched as she raised her eyebrows slightly, but replied to his request, coming to stand directly in front of his towering form. "I need one of these necklaces," he said indicating the ornament around his neck with one clawed finger.

The old woman looked at him through her one eye, puzzled by his odd request. "What did ye need it for Inuyasha?" She watched as the hanyou started a fang-baring smirk, but quickly repressed it.

Now was the time to put his plan into action. Saying it was for the undead bitch had been a stroke of genius, if he did say so himself. He was brighter than most people gave him credit for. "I need the necklace for Kikyo. I need a way to keep her from attacking Kagome. I promised to protect her and I will." Well, it wasn't entirely a lie. The necklace was indeed for Kagome's protection, but he was sure the elder wouldn't see it that way.

After a quick mental debate Kaede agreed to aid the hanyou warrior. What could it hurt? "Alright child, ye must first give me some of your blood. The beads won't take affect until the blood or some essence of the subdued party is on them as well. I'll leave the word of subjugation up to you."

Inuysha nodded impatiently and reached out for a small knife laying beside an old cooking pot on the hut floor. Slicing his palm he offered it to the old miko who quickly grabbed a vial and caught his crimson essence. After being told the necklace would be done in several days, the half demon left the village and for he had many important things to do.

The first of which, was finding a suitable den for he and his bitch to raise their pups in. He snarled at the fact that he could never provide her with a palace like his sibling, or a mountain like the mangy wolf, but he planned to make sure they were more than comfortable.

He passed several places that could have been the start for his new home, but his inu vehemently rejected each one. Still tearing through the trees, amber eyes peeled for a suitable spot, he began to mentally list the required accoutrements.

Obviously it would need to be near a cool river so that he and his mate could have water, but it also needed to be positioned near a hot spring for his intended's frequent baths. Even though he was planning on forcing the female, he in no way wanted her to be uncomfortable. Besides, he smirked; maybe he could join her in her daily ritual.

No, matter what the others thought he knew that this was not merely his more primal instincts surfacing. Although they had played a large role in getting him to admit his feelings for the girl, his eyes needn't be crimson for him to see the truth. I he felt greatly for her. Never would he admit even to himself that the emotion coursing within him was love, but he did concede to the fact that he indeed felt for her.

It wasn't just her looks, or the thought of having her birth his pups. It was the fact he could hold her small body each night and wake up to her hot breath fanning his neck. His inu growled at the sentimental thought. He loved the girl as well, but for entirely different reasons.

She didn't fear. She actually accepted him. Why? He'd never know and he'd decided that he didn't have to. As long as she was his and loved only him, it would not be of consequence. The thought of the undead miko he had constantly run off to now made his demonic skin crawl. Again, he resolved that it didn't matter, he had Kagome now. Or he WOULD have her soon.

Thinking of baths he realized that the girl wouldn't know the proper inu way to bathe one's pups…or for that manner any of the other required knowledge. ::_Teach female. Female take care of our pups. Female have our pups. Ours.::_ The thought of pupping Kagome was always an intense one for Inuyasha.

He could so vividly picture her belly swollen with his seed, his scent permanently imprinted within her blood. _::Must pup her soon. My bitch.:: _Shaking his head he thought over the other things that would be needed. Of course there would need to be a fair amount of game for him to hunt and bring home for his female and their litter. The thought pleased him. Yes, that was how it was supposed to be. She'd take care of the pups and his needs and he would hunt and protect his pack in return.

Besides that, there needed to be space for his future litter to play, a cave he could turn into hut for shelter and he would like there to be flowers. Actually, it didn't matter to him if there were flowers, but he knew that it would greatly please his mate.

Stopping suddenly in a clearing, the inu hanyou gazed around. On the far side of the glen was a cave entrance into the side of what seemed to be a rock mountain or cliff or some sort. Sniffing, he could smell the salt from the hot springs from within the cave and there was a swiftly flowing stream cutting through the clearing, in which he could see silver scaled fish flying through the water. There was plenty of open space on the forest floor where he could clearly imaging his offspring playing all the inu games he had learned as a child. Perhaps most amazing, were the thing strand like vines littered with blooming white moonflowers that fell own the sides of the mountain.

Making up his mind that this was the place after getting confirmation from his more primitive side of course, he let out a blood chilling howl into the sky where the sun had now begun to set, claiming the area. Letting everyone know that he would not be leaving…ever.

With Sesshomaru and Kagome

Sitting up rigidly, the western lord tried to pull on his normal mask of indifference. Usually he wouldn't even have to think about the task, but with the girl it was different. He wished for her to know him, to care for him, to feel for him. Feeling the bed shift as his Kagome sat up beside him, he looked over at her countenance.

Her sapphire eyes were a still slightly glazed over from her recent slumber and her raven hair was thoroughly tousled. The site forced his mind to drift to other, more pleasurable matters. His inu couldn't help wondering if she would look at all like that after they claimed her. Having already given himself to the fact that he was indeed a very rough lover, he only hoped that he tiny frame could handle him.

However, now was not the time for such thoughts. There were matters that presently needed to be discussed. "Koi, this Sesshomaru has much to discuss with you."

Blushing at the affection term, Kagome caught herself not minding the name. What was she thinking? She had just been trying to placate his beast right? She didn't really feel for him did she? After the whole incident with Inuyasha, she had finally been able to see through the veiled imperfection of her first love. It had been unrequited, and even the hanyou did claim to feel for her now, or at least lust for her, it would be for the wrong reasons. Not certain she liked the path her mind was currently traversing, she decided to speak. "What is it that you wish to discuss?"

Not knowing how to put it any other way, the king of the palace moon was blunt. "Kagome, you don not bare me scent."

Being a human, she didn't understand the significance of this. "And?," she questioned.

Sesshomaru's beast was already thrashing about in its mental cage demanding that her mark her with his scent first and explain later. A lesser would certainly have submitted to the wishes of their beast, but Sesshomaru endured. "It means that my claim on you has no real validation, except in a verbal form which can easily be overthrown."

"Why is this a problem, Sesshomaru? I am wearing your collar, am I not? I thought we agreed that I could decide for myself." Not being able to hold back the childish comment she added, "Duah.."

Having no clue what the female's expression had meant, and not wanting to find out at the moment, Sesshomaru persisted. "This Sesshomaru is aware of that. However, the collar is simply a visual claim, if you are mated by another it can be removed…but it would cause you much pain."

Whoa…Flashing red lights came to life and sirens flared in Kagome's head. 'Pain? Pain, what pain? He never said anything about pain. If he had mentioned…' Her thought was cut off at that moment by the deep baritone voice of the inu seated next to her.

"Other males," he snarled, "wish to come between yourself and this Sesshomaru. I will not allow it Kagome."

Humoring him, Kagome decided to question him. "What exactly does a scent marking mean Sesshomaru?"

This was one of the only times he had ever wished Kagome to be a demoness. If she had been such, she would have simply understood, wouldn't have needed to ask all these questions. "This Sesshomaru shall cover you in his scent, which is at the very least a low level claim giving you some protection." He growled, "I would prefer to mark you fully, as you seem to be fond of attracting male attention." The lord hadn't meant for the statement to come out in that way, but his inu was undeniably jealous of the males.

Practically fuming at the implication of his words, Kagome retaliated without thinking. "And what is that supposed to mean oh mighty one? Are you implying that I'm a whore?" Under her breath she added, "At least Koga and Inuyasha were never so blunt in their accusations."

His demon hearing caught the statement and his inu was nearly freed. How dare she mention the names of rival suitors. Here, in HIS bed, in HIS lands, right next to HIM. _::Bitch must learn place. Ours. Ours!:: _Sesshomaru's more rational side tried to argue, that is not what she meant. Within seconds his demonic half was throwing accusations at him. _::Not want bitch? Male claim what is HIS:: _Not being able to keep his fists from curling and his eyes from tinting pink he bellowed, "You are MINE! MY female! MINE!" At that moment, Sesshomaru was experiencing the most intense jealousy he had ever felt in his entire demonic life. Not even the thought of his father's legendary sword going to the hanyou outweighed this.

Losing himself to his inu, he whipped himself around and pounced on the girl, pinning her body underneath his own. Crimson eyes bore into sapphire ones, rendering Kagome completely frightened.

She had angered him before, but not on this level. He was absolutely livid. The distinct tearing of fabric brought her mind quickly back into focus as she realized what was going on. He lethal claws had begun to savagely tear through her clothing, leaving her milky skin exposed to the predator's eyes.

The female beneath him was his and she hid herself from him in these fabrics. He did not understand, but resolved to fix the problem immediately. Rapidly disposing of the garments his eyes came into contact with her angelic skin. He quickly realized however, that the two features he had most looked forward to enjoying were coved be some odd silk. With a roar of frustration he used his demonic spend to relieve himself of his kimono top before claiming back on top of the female.

The sight of her underneath him nearly sent him into fits. Her violent squirming did not help either. Thrusting his groin forward he openly moaned at the exquisite contact. Still rocking his hips forward and rolling his pelvis, he leaned down and spoke in a raspy, nearly unrecognizable voice. _"Mine."_

By this point silent tears were rolling down the young woman's cheeks and her chest heaved with silent sobs. She didn't understand. She didn't want to. She just threw her head from side to side.

Taking the unintentional signal as a gesture toward the negative, he howled. _"Mine!" _He repeated as he leaned closer, until their faces were only mere centimeters apart. That was when the salty smell of her tears hit him. The inu lord had been too preoccupied to notice.

His inu retreated at once, whimpering at the site of their female in such a state. Mentally berating himself, he felt sick. He had already proven his inadequacy as a male to her once and here he had given the girl a repeat performance. Sesshomaru knew she was a forgiving being, but even he doubted her charity went this far. He sat up gently pulling her into the cradle of his arms and pressing her face into the side of his masculine neck. He began to growl deeply in his chest, a ancient inu technique to calm one's female. Sporadically, he couldn't help but let a whimper of apology escape his lips between growls.

Kagome knew he was back to normal and she tried to breathe deeply, waiting for her sobs to lessen. She had been scared. Scared that he would hurt her, scared that he would defile her. Finally able to stop the tears, she gazed up at him with now puffy, red eyes. The dejected look on his normally regal face spoke volumes to her. She had been with him long enough now to able to tell his true feelings. Although she was upset herself, the pain on his face was reflected upon her heart. Not knowing what else to do, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his neck, hoping he would understand that she forgave him.

Feeling her small arms wrap around his frame and he sweet lips on his neck, he nearly cried. Nearly. She forgave him. For the first time in since his mother's death, Sesshomaru of the western lands felt weak. He knew that he couldn't control his obsessive jealousy around her. He hadn't proven himself to be a good mate. He knew he should let her go now, but he couldn't. He needed her too much. He was too weak to let her leave him. It was like a slap in the face for the demon lord. He had lived without emotions for years, and knew that in the eyes of the public he would remain that way for eternity, for he would make sure of it. But with this girl, he felt. He laughed, he hurt, he worried. She made him feel alive…and it thoroughly alarmed him to no end.

He would think on it later, for now he wanted to tend to his future mate. "Kagome…I…" Never having felt the need to apologize in such a way before he didn't know what to say. And even if he did, he wouldn't say it. Not even for her.

Kagome knew what he meant, and that was good enough. She didn't need to hear it. He'd already compromised enough of his pride. Her previously swollen eyes now returning to normal, she smiled. "I know."

Thinking to change the subject before could spend more time mentally tearing himself apart like she knew he would she asked, "Sesshomaru, could we go to the garden?" Alright, she admitted it, it was a lame distraction, but hey, at least she tried.

He knew what the female was doing, and he thanked the Gods. She understood him. Understood him enough to know that he couldn't say what she should have heard from him. For now though, he would comply with her wishes. "Of course Koi."

As she crawled out of his arms to retrieve a kimono to wear he almost reflexively tightened them, not wanting her to leave him. Watching her walk across the room, he felt the slightest bit of arousal at seeing her luscious frame, but he tried to push it down, disgusted with himself.

At that moment, fate was in an exceptionally cruel mood, for a servant, a demon male, came through to heavy doors to the room without knocking. The poor demon didn't even see Sesshomaru, as his eyes were glued to the female's frame.

Seeing the male eyeing up his intended and smelling his revolting arousal, Sesshomaru's inner beast was once again loose.

With Naraku

In a dark room far from the western lands a certain evil hanyou was having a fit. In his rage he threw precious glass vases, tore down valuable ancient tapestries and just generally smashed everything in sight.

He had watched his Kagome through the mirror of his youngest spawn, and now he was regretting it. The faithless bitch had his inner demon so riled that he felt as if anger was flooded through his entire being. How dare she? How DARE she? He would need to put his plan into action sooner than he had originally intended.

A/N: Hope it was to your satisfaction. It was a little longer than usual but I started typing and the next thing I knew I had an extra 1,000 words. Please Review.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Hello again. Lately I've been having a bit of writer's ADD. My plot ideas jump from one thing to the next so fast it gives me a headache. Hopefully, the perfect idea will just come to me soon so then I can just stick with it. For those of you who want a lemon, be patient. I know I've said that many times before but it will happen in anywhere from two to three chapters. Yes, it will be very graphic and parts of it may disturb you if you're the type who likes gentle love making. I'll apologize in advance for that since I've decided not to compromise the characters' personalities just to put my audience in a higher comfort zone, one of those executive decisions. Also, for those of you who have been asking both Rin and Shippo will be appearing in this story, I already have a special point at which I'm going to introduce them (hopefully). Other than that I just wanted to thank you for all of the support that you've all given me. All the nice messages, e-mails and reviews are just more incentive for me to keep cranking out the chapters. Without further ado, I'll leave you to chapter 15.

With Sesshomaru and Kagome

Sesshomaru, the ruthless lord of the western domain, stood over an exceptionally unfortunate male ookami youkai, who had just been recruited for domestic help in the palace moon. The poor youkai would have joined up with the army like his father so wanted him to do for all of those seasons, but truth be told, he was much too cowardice. Violence was not for him; however, it seemed now that his decision may not have been a wise one.

Kagome stood horrified. Before her was a scene she was certain would be emblazoned in her naïve mind for all of eternity. The gentle, apologetic youkai lord of mere seconds ago had once again transformed to his more feral state. The magenta markings on his handsome face were now much more pronounced, but perhaps it was due to the deep crimson color of his normally amber eyes. His back was rigid, arms spread in front of him dripping his own green, acidic poison. The young miko could hear a vicious snarl reverberating up from the throat of the agitated inu, and upon closer inspection she saw that his pointed fangs were bared to the other male.

Even in the midst of her worry, Kagome took a moment to reflect upon how pathetic the smaller male actually looked. The young demon was curled into a ball, arms wrapped over his livid, purple hair and lips quivering.

Sesshomaru, or more specifically the rational side of Sesshomaru had been pushed back into the mental cage that usually imprisoned his more primal inu the second the male had looked toward his intended. Even now he could hear the ranting of his blood beast. _::Foolish! Foolish rival! Must kill. Seen what is for Our eyes only. Only Ours!:: _ Although quite furious himself, he tried to placate his demonic side. 'You are scaring Our female.' His beast only snarled in reply, too distracted by thoughts of crushing the offender's bones like brittle, forest twigs. 'This Sesshomaru will take of the situation. Release me at once.' _::Take care? You not take care! Should have bitch marked! You letting her get away! I take care of it:: _The voice of the demon beneath him caught his attention. "Please mi'lord! This lowly being humbly begs your regal pardon! I had no intentions of seeing your lady in such a s-s-state."

Of course, this only served to more thoroughly brand the offense into the lord's mind, setting him off on an entirely different level. _::Admits! He admits it!::_ The considerably more reasonable side of Sesshomaru was having trouble not agreeing. When his will finally broke he decided that the rival male was getting what he deserved.

Not being able to see another second of the servant's semi-silent plea, Kagome threw her small body in between the larger forms of the two males. 'Don't flinch, don't flinch, don't flinch…' Despite her self-coaching it wasn't as easy as it sounded. Sesshomaru looked to be about the most intimidating creature in the whole of Japan at that moment in time.

Sesshomaru watched as his bitch blocked his path and brought up her arms trying to shield his opponent. Not even his rational side disagreed this time. _::Bitch protecting other male! Rival! Our bitch! Our female! Ours!:: _Both parts of his mentality snarling at the wolf demon, his thrust out his mighty forearm and flung his intended aside. Taking a quick glance in her direction, he locked eyes with her for a moment and snarled. This was his clear warning to stay where she was. Turning back and closing in on his prey, he circled and snarled, smelling the fear rising from the demon's scent. Grasping the male, his deadly claws wrapped around his throat, cutting of the supply of precious air meant to fill his prisoner's lungs. The last thing he said, before proceeding to turn the demon into nothing put a pile of dust to be swept up by the wind, was, "Mine."

Kagome, who had watched the entire spectacle from her spot on the cobble-stoned floor, was nearly in tears. Yet another life was wasted because of her foolish behavior. Before she could drown in any more self pity, her body was pinned to the floor by a angry inu youkai, who sat straddling her waist and clutching her hands above her head so as to lessen her possibility of escaping him. Sapphire orbs glistened with unshed tears as he leaned down and snarled in her face, letting his displeasure be known.

Dipping into a sudden well of courage that had, until this moment been hidden inside her, she stared straight into the blood tinted eyes that were glaring down at her. "Why?" she whispered. "Why did you have to kill him." Her anger evident now, the volume of her voice began to rise. "What was the point?! He didn't do anything on purpose! I'm sure you have everybody so scared that they wouldn't even dare to come near me! I wasn't even hurt you know, just a little embarrassed!"

Still not in control it was Sesshomaru's blood beast that answered her, albeit a bit more civilly than it normally was. _"That, female, is not the point. Another male saw what is mine."_ The last word rolled off of his canine tongue like a well oiled machine. It immediately sent chills down Kagome's spine, echoing in her ears before he continued. _"The rival had to be dealt with bitch."_

His thoroughly displeased look did not stop Kagome from shooting back a biting remark, later, she decided that sarcasm was indeed not the best way to calm a raging inu. "Oh look, you caught me! There goes my lover! I suppose I'll have to find a new one!"

This was exactly the opposite of what Sesshomaru wanted to hear at that moment. Taking a light sniff, he concluded that she was still pure and had not been defiled by another male. This was good, for if she had the whole of Japan would pay. _"Bitch! No other male has placed his scent upon you! You are MINE! Say it, swear it, promise it!"_

Kagome felt her body become even more tense if that was even possible at the moment. "Sesshomaru…there are people…who I love. I can't belong to just you…a part of me will always belong to them. And yes, some of them are males…but you're asking for something that I can't give you." Hoping he would understand, she let out a shaky sigh and awaited his response.

Unfortunately, Sesshomaru did NOT understand. In fact, his blood beast saw her statements as open rejection of their suite and rights to her being. A deafening roar tore through the halls of the palace moon as the feral dog demon backhanded his female, causing a small bit of blood to trickle from the left corner of her mouth. Not giving her time to breathe he latched onto the underside of her nick in a submission hold, demonstrating his dominance.

The more she struggled, the further the fangs penetrated her skin. She was about ready to scream when she recalled the advice the more reasonable Sesshomaru had once given her. Instantly she went limp, leaving only her heaving chest moving against the firm body of her captor. Feeling his breath along the side of her neck she just barely heard him command; _"Say it, bitch."_

Not having the heart to fight for a moment longer, she admitted defeat. Being from a different era, her pride was nearly three times that of any demoness, so the words cut her. "I'm yours…just yours…" she whispered hoarsely. Turning her head away from the male above her she started to cry silently.

Pleased, the lord of the western lands let a contented growl escape him. He knew his bitch. He knew hoe hard it was for her to say such things; she was such a proud female. Though, that had been part of the reason that he was initially attracted to her. _"Good bitch. Calm yourself. You have pleased me." _Deciding to forego anymore words, he nuzzled his nose into the side of her throat, inhaling her calming scent and nuzzling her gently.

Kagome was now, even more so than before, thoroughly uncomfortable. 'Holy kami! This guy has mood swings worse than any of the girls in my school…and that's an accomplishment.' Trying to make light of the situation through comedic thoughts was failing horribly; deciding it would be best if she weren't trapped under the less than reasonable inu, Kagome began to push herself up on her forearms, using her elbows to drag herself out from under the large frame.

Sesshomaru, feeling that the female he had chosen for his own was being unruly pinned her shoulders to the ground with a not so gentle slam of his powerful arms. Snarling at her, he bore his slightly elongated fangs in hope of intimidating her. Didn't she understand? It was he whom decided when it was time to leave, time to continue or time to stop. That was his role as a male. Growling out of frustration, he addressed the bitch, _"Do not move, female. Do not move unless you are told. Bitch stays where mate puts her." _

Not realizing that it was best to pacify his blood beast (being her strong minded self of course), the futuristic miko scoffed and only tried harder to bring herself out from under that dog demon that currently presided over her person. "Sesshomaru, please get off. I hate being under you like this…it's just a bit awkward for me is all."

"_Bitch your place is, and always will be, under your male. Learn it well."_

Shocked by his bluntness on the matter, she shot out a quick, "Never."

The crimson color of his orbs once again darkening, the lord of the west found it hard not to beat his bitch like she deserved. Any male inu can do such; it is his right as the dominant partner after all. But none desire to do so. Generally, inu males are very affectionate and loving towards their chosen mate, especially during the courting period and when the female is with pup. _"Always. You are mine. My bitch. Male protect you. Female bare pups." _Uncharacteristically, Sesshomaru softened for a moment at the mention of pups. _"Beautiful pups. Our pups. Our litter." _

'Wow…I never took Sesshomaru for the father type. But then again, he does care for the little Rin girl.' Kagome smiled. 'She is such a sweet kid. Maybe our pups will- WHAT? What am I thinking? I don't even want to know where that train of thought was going. Remember girl, you're mad. Be mad!' More so trying to convince herself than out of actual indignation, the priestess questioned him. "What if I don't want to have your pups, Sesshomaru?" Feeling the need for some type of control over the situation, she added, "What if I want to have someone else's pups?"

Losing all sense, the inu lord let out a deafening roar of rage. How dare this bitch? He began to feel the overwhelming urge of his instincts to impregnate the female beneath him immediately. _::Pup her! Give her Our pup! Bitch bound to us then! Can never leave! Ever:: _In his delirious state, this made perfect sense to Sesshomaru. Why not sire her with his pup now? Then she would never be able to leave them. Every male would know who she belonged to. He would have his first heir.

The thought already had his shaft hard and glistening with droplets of his fertile pre-cum. He thrust his hips forward violently, trying to gain some sort of relief from the unbearable tension he was feeling burning at his loins. The side of his large cock was pressed into her soft hip and humping frantically against her in a heated frenzy.

Even in this state, he decided no to pup the female. He had no desire for her to resent his pups in any way, especially because they were unwanted. She would beg him to coat her lovely womb soon enough, but for now he simply needed some release.

Kagome was in a panic. What was he doing? All of a sudden the ever stoic ice prince was thrusting himself at her like a horny puppy. She decided against trying to pull away when she saw the crazed look in his eyes. No, trying to leave him was would definitely not be the best idea at the moment. Closing her eyes and silently waiting it out seemed like her best option until felt a masculine clawed hand close roughly over her own dainty fingers. Her arm was jerked up and she watched, almost fainting, when Sesshomaru pulled his impressive tool from his usual silken pants.

Watching discovery channel and some of the biology classes that she had taken had provided her with the knowledge that canine males are well endowed, but this was ridiculous. The thick shaft of his tool had to be at least 12 inches and she seriously doubted that she could even wrap her hand around it. The base of his cock was nestled in a patch of slightly curled silver hair, matching the color of his hair. Pulsing veins could be seen along the sides and the knobbed top jutted out proudly.

Pleased with the look on his female's face, he yanked her delicate hand down to his manhood and wrapped her fingers around him. Not being able to contain a quite vicious sounding snarl, he showed his bitch how he liked to be pumped and stroked. Soon enough, he let go and propped himself on his forearms to enjoy the feeling, gently thrusting his hips toward her welcoming hand.

At first contact, Kagome had been sickened. She could actually feel the bile rising in her throat and burning her insides. She had never actually seen such a thing before and it didn't take long for curiosity to take over. Feeling the pulsing velvet flesh of his hard organ under her hand she continued to stroke him as he moved his clawed appendage from her own. At first she pumped slowly, but seeing his reaction soon had her speeding up. She experimented, pumping slowly and then speeding up only to slow down again. Occasionally, she would give him a squeeze or a particularly rough jerk, she even pinched its mushroomed head.

The lord of the west actually moaned out load for his servants to hear, announcing how well his bitch pleasured him to the whole of the castle. Too soon he felt his balls tightening and the first powerful jet of milky, wet semen spewed from his tool. He kept pumping his hips for several minutes, releasing the tremendous amount of cum the inu species was known for. Naturally, it was most usually stored at the base of his shaft, in his knot while the mating took place. He would then lock with his bitch and send out such copious amounts of seen to insure that she was carrying.

The blast of sticky liquid brought Kagome back from the world of fascination she had been lost in and tears of shame and realization began to prick at her tender, blue eyes. Drawing her had away quickly, she turned her face away from the sated male.

Finally in control of himself again, Sesshomaru realized what had happened. He quickly untied his obi and cleaned his seed from the girl and himself before storing his now flaccid cock back into his trousers. He looked down to see his little love crying in what he surmised was humiliation. Not knowing what to say, but the shameful silence being too much for him, Sesshomaru reached out to touch his intended's rosy cheek. "Kagome, koi, this Sesshomaru-"

Seeing her flinch away from his touch nearly broke his soul. Knowing that she needed to be along he gave her one last nuzzle and a apologetic kiss on the forehead before dragging himself up and exiting, his head hanging in shame.

Alone now, it took Kagome several minutes to come down from her escalated hysteria. She hadn't even protested…she just went along with it…just like a – like a…trained bitch. However, self pity and personal loathing soon turned into blatant anger. 'He should have known better! He freaks out over everything and still acts like the fucking king of the world!'

Growling agitatedly, she pushed herself up from the floor and searched for something to keep her mind occupied. At the moment, she was in desperate need of a distraction. Spotting a bookshelf in a corner of the room, she paced toward it and looked through the novels. For this period in time, Sesshomaru's collection of literature seemed quite extensive. If she had known that these were merely a few of the hundreds of volumes contained in the palace moon she would have been stunned.

Reaching to the stop she shelf she tried to pull down a dust covered book that had caught her eye. It was bound in royal blue leather and had golden embossing depicting the image of a large inu on the spine. Clumsily reaching, she squeaked when the book fell from the shelf and toppled to the ground, opening to a section titled 'Inu Male Mating Behaviors'. One might perceive this as a sign that the fates of the two future lovers were indeed written by the hand of fate, but Kagome decided to forego all those thoughts and simply picked the book up and threw herself down on the futon to read it.

Inu Youkai males, the most possessive of all breeds, are known to act out of character during courtship. For an inu male, courtship is a very serious affair. The point of the process is to prove to the chosen female that they are capable of protecting, loving and providing for her and any future pups the pair may have. It is common among dog demons for a male to be jealous of attention provided by their female to any other of their sex. Some may take it as rejection and move on, but the stronger males and those who truly feel for their intended, only persist with more effort. The instincts of a male inu at his prime at simply insurmountable. The blood beast that lives within them will thrash and protest greatly, even to the point of pain in matters concerning their female. This pain can become so very intense and sanity depriving that some males snap and simply take the unruly female leaving her with little or no choice in the matter. Only those who truly respect their chosen female wait for her consent.

Finishing the passage, Kagome nearly dropped the book to the ground. 'All this time he wasn't just being an asshole? Well…even if he was…it was just his instincts…' Giving the nature of Kagome and her caring heart she almost felt sick at the thought of the pain her ignorance must have caused Sesshomaru. 'And…he still didn't take me…he is still waiting.'

Hurriedly replacing the book back on the shelf, Kagome struggled with the seemingly leaden doors for a moment and proceeded to tear down the hall in search of the western lord. 'I only hope he's okay…' In all actuality, she had pretty well gotten over the factor of shame and embarrassment that had caused her reaction in the first place. She still wasn't happy with what he did…not at all, but now she knew. Now she knew exactly what she needed to tell him.

With Naraku

The dark hanyou, Naraku, was still seething from the display of passion he had viewed reflected n his spawn's mirror. Not even having words to describe the malice that filled him he simply resorted to tremendous roars of rage, alerting everything within ten miles of his anger. He didn't understand.

The bitch would be his queen, his dark queen. He would give her everything she needed, dress her in the finest clothes and actually promise to be faithful. The last part of the thought was once again, not his own doing, but that of his inner beast. For some reason beyond his comprehension it seemed that his primal self actually felt something more than lust for the girl.

He had already vented his anger upon three humans from a nearby village. Unfortunately, they only provided momentary relief, more or less a distraction than anything else. No, not even the spilling of innocent blood could soothe him. His beast was crying out for its mate with a previously unknown fervor.

_::Get female. Prove yourself.:: _The voices of the many demons he had sold his earlier encasement of flesh to sounded within him as one, providing the fantastical presence with a deep, raspy voice fill of masculinity. Scoffing, he decided to indulge his blood beast just this once. 'And why would I, Naraku, have to prove myself worthy of such a bitch? The girl should be glad I've lowered my standards to accommodate her many flaws.'

_::Unacceptable. Must prove worth. Powerful bitch needs powerful master.:: _

'And how would you suggest I prove myself to her while she is not here, while she flees from the merest trace of my aura? We must bring her here first and then charm her.'

The more traditional side of his being finally gave, but still held fast to the concept of courting the female for at least a short period of time. _::Agreed. But must prove worth.::_

Not feeling like arguing right now, Naraku simply nodded mentally to show his acceptance. Now was not the time for such silly conversations. He needed to go over his plans one last time. Hiding his aura, he had gone to the western lands in disguise and waited patiently for any physical trace of the inu lord that he could take back to his current lair. After several hours of fruitless exertion, he had stumbled upon a silver hair that seemed to have fallen from the clothes taken to be washed at the river by the maids of the palace moons.

Bringing his treasure back, he had quickly added it to a mixture that he had instructed the wind witch to make. He had found out about the mixture from a village elder, who he had later easily disposed of. The concoction would help him take the form of the arrogant dog demon long enough to steal away his Kagome. The only flaw was that his aura could not be changed, but he could conceal it like he had done previously. Hopefully, the girl wouldn't notice anything strange.

The next phase of his plan had taken a bit more thought. Knowing that the lord spent nearly every moment looking over the woman, he had to find a way to separate them. Luckily, Sesshomaru was an honorable demon. He ruled the western lands and if there was a disturbance he would most certainly go. He had already recruited several power hungry demons with promises of jewel shards to forge an attack on a demon trade village near the far eastern border. This would give him plenty of time to get the girl away from his fortress.

After that, he had decided to merely scare the bitch a bit before showing her that he was not that bad…when he was obeyed. Naraku was immensely looking forward bending the girl's spirit. No, he had already decided that he wouldn't break her, for he loved her fire. However, it would have to be directed and carried out in the way _he_ wished. And oh would it be wonderful.

With Inuyasha

After a day of clearing the cave and area around his new den, the hanyou sat glaring into the fire. His eyes were a strange pink color, showing that he was currently discussing matters with his inner inu. There were still several days before he could pick up his beads from the old village hag, but it mattered not since there was still much to do.

His mind drifted back to the first time he had ever seen Kagome. It had been years since he last opened his honey colored eyes, but suddenly the feeling of eternal rest and damnation had cleared leaving him with a clear view of a most beautiful female in front of him. He had, at first glance, thought it to be Kikyo. Although, he soon noticed some of the differences between his old flame and this new human woman.

Kikyo had a cold blue aura the sizzled with malice and negative energy whenever it come into contact with his own; this woman had a warming aura, almost like the glow of a fire that subtly meshed with his own. The elder priestess had indifferent eyes of brown and a less than feminine figure while this woman had sparkling blue eyes and curves in all of the right places.

She stood before him like a goddess, a gift that had been given to him…and he intended to keep her. Over and over she had proved her loyalty to him and now she would be rewarded. However it seemed that the moment he decided to make her his mate, so did every other imbecile male within Japan. She had freed him. Why had she done such a thing if only to later decide that she didn't want him? He growled in displeasure.

No matter. It was no longer her choice, she had offered herself to him and he had accepted. That was that. The bitch had chosen to be his the second she tore the arrow imbedded in his shoulder from its half century old home.

Was she really that stupid as to think that he didn't want her? Inuyasha knew she thought he had feelings for the undead woman, but he did not. He had decided that he would be her mate and stay faithful to her always. Why in the hell did she think he fought that mangy wolf off when he came around with his ridiculous claims of mating rites? He wouldn't allow any other male to come sniffing around his bitch's legs and live to tell the tale.

Deciding that it was best to get a few hours of rest, the half inu shut his eyes and swiveled his sensitive white ears around checking for any disturbances. After he was satisfied that all was well, he fell asleep to quite erotic thoughts of his future mate.

A/N: Alright, so it was a lot longer than usual but it was just one of those chapters that I couldn't stop writing without feeling that I had left it incomplete. Anyway, please review. Thanks!


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: First of all, I'd like to apologize that this chapter isn't as action packed an intense as some of the others, but I felt it was necessary to bring into play the more romantic side of our favorite couple's feelings for one another. For those of you that asked, yes, this will definitely end up being Sesshomaru/Kagome pairing story. Frankly, I wouldn't have it any other way. To answer another question, I'm not sure how long this whole thing will turn out to be; right now, I'm still just working with a rough outline. I'll try to get one or two chapters up per week, so here's hoping. Oh yes, after this chapter you won't be seeing much of Inuyasha for a bit; just a heads up.

With Naraku-

Dashing through the dense foliage of the famed western forests, a certain corrupt hanyou nimbly leaped over logs, bramble and debris that hindered his progress. The break-neck pace he set had his surroundings blurred around him, all meshing together as one giant green wave. For a being of his stature, it was simply like a slow stroll through the park; in fact, he had yet to raise his heart rate in the slightest.

After a quick quarrel with his more demonic half, he had resolved to secure his Kagome today and then transport her back to his own domicile. He was still several hours away from the famed palace moon, but everything was already in place. The foolish demons he had recruited were standing by at the far border of the west ready to cause havoc at so much as a simple metal command. He knew, of course, that the demons stood no chance against the inu demon and his infamous 'no mercy' policy, but it mattered not. Even at a speed as great as that of the dog lord's it would still take several hours to make it to the border and back, providing him with more than enough time to whisk away his female.

Before leaving, he had dismissed all of his servants, including the wind witch and the pale young child, so as to have the castle vacant when he returned with his prize. It was common practice for a demon male to spend at least a week alone with his mate after their initial union, but Naraku had planned ahead and provided himself with time that could sprawl fourth into months if the situation called for it. However ruthless he was, he had no intention of raping the girl.

Well, that wasn't exactly true. He would give her time to see things his way, but he could only wait so long. Besides, he wasn't about to deny his feral side the mating it had been so anxiously waiting for if the opportunity presented itself. This female was different from every other being he had ever had the privilege or misfortune, in some cases, to meet. For once in his twisted existence, he didn't want her to totally fear him. Oh, she would fear him in many ways, and for legitimate reasons, but not wholly.

Never one to be above physical violence, he saw no problems with bodily harm as a reprimand. He was the first to admit that he had a temper and he knew the female would be a great source to vent his anger upon. Though, both his civil side and his primal side longed for the girl's adoration. In all of his years, he had never wanted to be admired liked he did now. Even with Kikyo, he had simply wished for her to lust after him. With Kagome things were different.

He wanted her to lust for him of course, but his own black soul was intensely attracted to her own pure one. The hanyou longed for the female's love and admiration, and he would receive it even if he had to beat it out of her. The green eyed monster of jealousy still reared its head whenever he recalled all the times she had put herself at risk for that fool Inuyasha. Soon, he would remedy that situation.

Lately, though, he had been a bit more attentive to the behaviors of the full demon brother. It was common knowledge that the inu species had much honor and were very possessive by nature. He had made the mistake of underestimating those instincts on his first meeting with the couple, but this time he was much more prepared.

More on topic, he wanted her to want him. He had taken females before and they had declared their love for him, but he could easily sense their insincerity. Now that he was to mate with this one female for the rest of his days, he wanted those disgustingly familiar words to be real. He knew that his cold manners would not change towards the rest of the world, but if she was an obedient little bitch he could be gentle as a lamb with her. As he saw it, things could go two ways. The first being for her to resist him and be taken by force and held in check by violence; the second being for her to submit and accept his affections willingly.

He could make her very happy; she simply had yet to realize it. Hours of his time had been spent picturing not only their brutal mating, but exploring the idea of simply clutching her to him and letting the afterglow of the event radiate through her. Being pure, as he knew she was, she was obviously going to be an inexperienced lover. After much deliberation, he decided that he liked it that way. Being her first and only mate he could mold her into the perfect bed partner to satisfy his every need.

She would receive gifts regularly, everything from beautiful kimonos to exotic pets. He had actually always looked forward to having a mate that he could spoil. It was not so much for her, but for the simple fact he could publicly gloat over what a good provider he was for his bitch. The other thing he thought about often were the pups that they would soon have.

They would obviously have the dark hair that was present on both of their parents, but he pictured his future sons to be a bit darker like himself. The male pups would inherit his crimson orbs, more muscled build and thin lips. In finding a body to inhabit all those years ago, he had made sure to pick an attractive specimen and the prince he now occupied was just that. Having already decided that Kagome would have several pups, he pictured the females wither gentler features and paler complexion.

She would raise the pups and he would reign over all of Japan; he had it all already planned out in vivid detail. The woman would make an excellent mother, but that was completely beside the point. Knowing he would have to be harsh with her to start, he had steeled himself against all possible pleas and was currently looking forward to any tortured screams he may have the pleasure of extracting from her luscious lips.

Soon he would have both the female and the jewel. He swung his handsome face forward to reveal a frightening smirk, his eyes glinting. In several hours he would have her, and the way he saw it, things could only go uphill from there.

With Inuyasha-

The dog-eared hanyou growled in distaste. His attempt at sleep during the past few hours had been, all in all, completely futile. Every time his acute senses relaxed enough for him to doze, a certain part of his half blooded anatomy would jump to life at the vivid images that played across his mind.

By the coming of the dawn, he supposed he had imagined taking her in every single position every known and possibly a few more. Several times he had worked himself to release, but it was all in vain. He had gotten up earlier than planned, which was quite a new experience for him, and cleaned out the cave. First he had simply cleared the den of all the debris and rubble, leaving the floor exposed in its dry, barren soil state. The half inu figured that the for the coming warm months the soil itself would suffice, but he had already thought ahead to the winter and planned to insulate it in the cooler months with straw, which could easily enough be taken from the villagers.

After that, he had used his razor sharp claws to scrape away all of the moss and vegetation growing on the insides of the cave walls. It had taken several hours, but he managed to dry the previously damp walls and fill a few crevices to ensure they stayed that way. Is venture into the forest in the prior hours had left him with quite a bit of good, sturdy to show for his efforts. Inuyasha figured to make a few of the necessities he had seen given to and used by other females. He very well knew that he couldn't provide his bitch with mountains of gifts like his brother or the wolf prince, but he would do the damn best he could.

Besides, Kagome had never seemed like the type of female that was impressed by lots of material possessions. He knew that she enjoyed them yes, but had a lurking feeling that it was more the thought behind the gesture than the actual trinket she enjoyed. All that aside, he wanted her to be as comfortable as possible. In his planning, he had collected, taking advantage of his demon speed and strength of course, enough lumber to make several cabinets, a decent sized bed, one of those 'rocking chairs' humans seemed to enjoy so much and two small cradles for his future pups.

Later in the day he had begun to hollow out a decent sized hole in the side of the cave, which he planned to later fit with a door. Going through solid rock had been, to say the least, tough and many times he had drawn his own crimson blood forth from his knuckles as he pounded away at the stone. By the time the project was finished, he planned for it to be a bit taller than him and about the size of a decent sized room

The whole purpose of this undertaking had, of course, been to hollow out a safe place to store food, namely meat that would normally have gone bad in a few short hours. As an inu demon, or more accurately inu half demon, he planned to spend the traditional isolation period with his mate after their first union. This would entail the couple being sealed away for several weeks to bond and mate. It was believed that this would make the lasting mental bond more substantial in the long term.

Oh, how he looked forward to those weeks. His inner demon was already clawing his insides with feverish anticipation. The period of waiting had only intensified its need for the female. _::Want! Want! Want Now!:: _Inuyasha had been placating the beast for the past nights with promises of fulfillment in the near future, but it was growing restless within him.

Nearly every thought that passed through his mind revolved around the beautiful, young priestess. If in his original thinking, he had planned for the need to subside once he had made her his own, he now knew better. Once he had taken the girl, he would need her only that much more. However, it wouldn't be a problem since after their first joining he could rut her whenever he felt the need.

Sitting with his back propped against the rough bark of a tree near the edge of the clearing, he decided that he would go into the nearest human town the next day and exterminate a few rambunctious demons in exchange for goods. He was sure there would be plenty enough for his needs, and if there weren't he could easily lore them to the area. Yes, he would need to get several kimonos for her, maybe a trinket of jewelry or two, definitely some post and pans, a brush and soap, jugs, a few skinning and hunting knives, furs to ensure his bitch's warmth and several other things.

It would only be a few mere days until his could retrieve his necklace of subjugation and then collect his female. His dilemma, however, hinged on the fact that the male currently protecting her was more than capable of defeating him in a fair fight. The simple thought made him growl deep in his throat, his Adam's apple vibrating visibly. If things came down to a physical challenge he was destined to lose, so he simply needed to find a way to tilt the odds in his favor a bit.

With Sesshomaru and Kagome-

The mighty inu lord of the west sat resting in an especially uncomfortable antique chair hidden away in one of the far back corners of his library. All around him ancient leather bound volumes that had, over the years, accumulated more than their fair share of dust lined thick oaken shelves. The general mood of this corner seemed to differ from that of the rest of the spacious enclosure. While sunlight filtered through the other sections and was reflected upon timeless rippled glass only to be thrown into delicate sprinklings of gold, the desolate mood of his current domicile was anything but cheery.

This particular corner housed the single most ancient texts in all of Japan and had been cut off from almost all light for fear of damaging the ancient scrolls or fading their poorly crafted inks. It was, all in all, the most appropriate place the lord could think of for him to take refuge. He had, in fact, sat silently there all through the night without so much as one disturbance. It was probably for the best though, since in his current state he wished for no visitors…except one.

In his centuries upon centuries of existence, there was never a single object, award or acknowledgment he had felt undeserving of. Why should he? Hadn't he always been the most renowned youkai in all the lands? However, the last year had seen his life begin to fall from the way he knew it.

Perhaps being raised in a demon court that never really believed in the prospect of love and saw it as only a mere human weakness had taken more of an affect on him than he had thought. He had always been taught that taking a mate was necessary to the continuance of his lineage, but such matches were always made for power, never for any more emotional sentiments. Kagome was indeed a strong match for and he knew it from the beginning, but at this point that was no longer the sole reason he cherished her presence. It had grown, unintentionally despite his best efforts, into much more. Everything from her soothing scent to her to gentle way the warmth of her aura caressed his own.

First he had been infatuated with the girl, wondering what it was that caught his attention in such a demanding manner. Then it had moved to an obsession, which had then after lead him to the eminent conclusion that the female, Kagome, would be his. Now though, after the last few days with the girl, he felt for the first time truly undeserving. After storming out of his chambers the day before he had for a matter of hours tried to convince himself that what he was feeling was actually anger toward the girl, anger at her ignorance and the fact that she put him trough such unnecessary trials, but it had been futile.

Sesshomaru knew that he was still the cold, merciless inu lord he had always been, but there was another side to him that he hadn't acknowledged until recently. The side that that was simply Sesshomaru. Lord Sesshomaru was as near to perfection as any being could ever claim or even hope to be, but Sesshomaru himself seemed to be next to nothing.

All the things that made him a great lord counted for little in this department. Maybe part of his attraction to the girl had to do with the fact that she held the type of heart he knew he would never have. There had always been comfort in the thought that someday that heart would belong to him alone, but the past few hours had led him to questioning whether or not he deserved such an honor.

The only conclusion that he could come to, was that it didn't matter. He wanted to see the girl happy and he wanted her to be pleased, but there was no way he would allow her to be so in the arms of another male. It was him or no one at all. Perhaps it was selfish and unjust, but that was how it would be. As strong as he was, he knew that seeing her with another would kill him. If she wasn't happy, then he would simply have to try harder, because there was no possible way for him to let her go…ever.

His demonic hearing picking up the slight scrape of hinges, he silently darted from his resting place to locate the source of the sound. Before him, stood his Kagome. She looked as if she hadn't slept at all the past night and he leaned closer to watch her.

Kagome herself was at her wits end altogether. After nearly twelve hours of searching for the lord of the palace moon, she was all but ready to give up completely. Throwing herself down in an unruly pile at the foot of the entrance way, she leaned back against the wooden doors and drew her knees up to her body tightly. As thoughts rushed through her head, her shoulders began to shake unconsciously as she spoke softly to herself through her sobs. "Why? Why is it that every time I realize I want something it's already gone?"

Being completely ignorant as to what she was talking about, Sesshomaru leaned in closer to catch more of her conversation with herself. "He's probably out there right now trying to find Inuyasha and order him to take me back. I just wish…I…" Standing again, the girl's sobs wracked her small frame as she leaned on the cold stone of the wall.

Just as she felt she was about to fall down from all of her grief mixed with the exhaustion of a night of unfruitful searching, Kagome felt two strong muscular arms tighten around her torso from behind as she was pulled into a masculine chest.

Not being able to stand the sight anymore, Sesshomaru had walked over and took the girl into his arms from behind. He ran one of his clawed hands through her silken hair and waited for her sobs to subside a little. The simple scent coming from her was more than enough to inform him that she was distressed to say the least. Leaning down to her ear, he whispered in his deep baritone voice, "What's wrong, Koi?"

Receiving no answer he looked down as the little woman turned her body around in his arms and held onto him tightly. Not having really comforted another being before, he simply tightened his hold around her and let her cry her heart out, leaving a large wet stain on his white silk kimono top.

Kagome didn't even answer his question; she just turned around and buried herself in the warmth radiating from his body. The feel of his form against hers was just what she needed at the moment to calm her down. As she leaned against him, the thought crossed her mind that it wouldn't be bad at all to spend the rest of her days like this.

Still worried over his love's tears, the lord of the west leaned down once more, his hot breath fanning across the sensitive ear of his intended and whispered once more, "What is it, Koi? What troubles you?" Picking her up gentle, he carried her to a small pile of cushions under a nearby window and sat her down in his lap, waiting for her response to his former query.

Turning her delicate neck toward the towering form that was situated behind her Kagome decided that right now she was going to be absolutely honest with him…and herself. Taking a deep breath she began, "Sesshomaru…I'm scared."

Within seconds his senses were on high alert and his toned muscles were poised for immediate attack. He sniffed the air flowing through the room and looked back her quizzically. "Of what?"

The let out a shaky breath and continued as best she could in her current state. "No, not like that. I'm…I'm scared that once you've had me or once I've given into you, you won't want me anymore. What if I agree to be with and then you decide to be with other females as well? I honestly don't think that I could take that, Sesshomaru. Besides, I'm not good enough for you. You deserve some powerful demoness who'll give strong kids and honor your family name or whatever. I…I can't be that for you."

Surprised at her statements, the lord of the west tried to figure out the best way to explain everything to the woman he wanted so horribly. "Kagome, I will always want you. This Sesshomaru knows that once he has taken you to his bed, he will only want you that much more. It should have been more thoroughly explained to you earlier, but inu youkai males only take one mate. Once they are mated, they will not lay with another. You will be my one and only and I wouldn't want it any other way because this Sesshomaru love…loves…" He stuttered out the estranged word, but hung his regal head when he simply couldn't finis his intended sentence.

Kagome turned around fully, now straddling his lap and looked at him wholly. Lifting up his manly chin she looked into his honeyed amber orbs and saw what she needed to know. What he spoke, or what she knew he wanted to speak was the truth. He really did love her even if he couldn't say it.

Tucking her head under his chin in a sign of submission tat she had picked up during the past few days, she licked his throat comfortingly, letting him know that she understood him. Yes, it hurt her that he couldn't say it but she knew from his eyes that he meant it. Drawing her head up slowly, she looked into his eyes and whispered to him, "You don't need to say it. Someday maybe you can, Sesshomaru, but until then I can live with just knowing." Leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on his thin lips she looked up at him awaiting his response.

At that moment in time, the dog demon lord was trying feverishly to remember the name or title of every god or deity he'd ever heard of and thanking them with reckless abandon. When it came down to it, he didn't deserve her, but she had as good as given herself to him anyway. Was it selfish and mindless of him to keep her? Yes. Was it unfair to her and the rest of the beings that would never feel her love? Yes. Did he care in the least? No, he didn't. Her soft voice drew him out of his reverie and one of his rare smiles was drawn across his features.

"Sesshomaru, can…can I ask you something?" Her voice shook and he tightened his hold around her smaller form and drew her closer to his larger one.

"Anything Koi." He waited, the silence almost deafening to his demonic hearing but he continued to hold his breath and look into the female's sapphire eyes. He could easily tell that she was scared, but he had yet to figure out of what it was she felt fear.

Taking one last deep breath, Kagome tried her hardest to make eye contact with the seemingly ethereal lord when she asked, "Do you…do you still want me to be your wife…er…mate?"

An incredible happiness began to flood Sesshomaru in a way that had been foreign to him since he was a young pup, rocked into slumber each night by his mother. He was sorely tempted to simply through the girl down and ravish in a display of his ungodly affections for her, but he had to be certain she knew what she was committing herself to when she promised him this. "Kagome, do you understand that once you've said yes to this Sesshomaru you have given yourself into my care? You should know, I never plan to give you back."

Smiling, Kagome nodded. She knew all of this well and had expected nothing less from the overprotective inu lord and his ancient customs. "Of course." Leaning closer to him so her plump lips brushed against his thin, masculine ones she whispered, "I'm yours."

He was simply not able to contain himself. Leaning forward he captured his future mate's mouth in a heated kiss. As his tongue laved over her top lip and his sharp incisor teeth nibbled at the bottom, he began to apply more pressure to the kiss hoping to gain entry to her sweet cavern. Obligingly, she opened herself up for his exploration. As his tongue slid into her mouth she timidly caressed it with her own causing a moan to be drawn forth from the formidable youkai she was currently in a lip lock with.

Reaching his refined, clawed hand up to delicately massage her breast he unthinkingly began to slide her kimono top further off of her pale feminine shoulder. He instantly felt her stiffen as her body went rigid with nerves. In his exuberance, he had indeed forgotten that she was an innocent and didn't want to push her into anything. This feeling was multiplied perhaps by the knowledge that she had just consented to become his and he didn't wish to impair the mating before it was even started.

Reigning in all of his self control, he slowly broke away from her before placing a loving kiss on her forehead. "Kagome, Koi, this Sesshomaru would like you to dine with him." Looking down, he saw her cheerful nod and picked her up bridle style before placing her on her feet and clasping her smaller hand in his larger callused one.

Deciding to make a stop at his study, the lord of the west made a sharp turn mush to the surprise of the unsuspecting woman on his arm and drug her to what he used to feel was his haven. Entering the cluttered room, he gently lifted the girl and set her atop several silken pillows before retrieving several sheets of parchment and one of his better quills and seating himself behind the grand desk centered along the back wall.

Confused, Kagome asked, admiring the grandeur of the office, Kagome swiveled her head around to look at the design of the prominent western furniture that surrounded her. Even amidst the clutter, the room was impressive. However, her mind was currently otherwise occupied. Even though she had said yes and still held to the belief that it was the right decision.

"Um…Sesshomaru, what exactly are we doing?" This what not exactly her interpretation of 'dining' but maybe he had some reason. Mentally scoffing at herself, she smiled; didn't he always?

Looking up from his feverish scratching the lord responded, "This Sesshomaru is sending out a message to all of the major and minor lords of our upcoming union. There will need to be a ceremony held here in the western lands before anything can be officiated."

Gulping, Kagome looked around. "I'm not sure about a ceremony. I mean, I was thinking that we could just do something private, you know?"

"Ridiculous. Every lord, even the minor ones has to go through this ceremony. It is simply tradition." He smirked to himself and under his breath her added, "And a chance for this Sesshomaru to show off your beauty."

Unfortunately for him, Kagome heard his last statement and immediately responded. "Hey! I'm not some show doll! You can't just parade me around!" Huffing and turning her back to the amused youkai, she didn't notice his swift approach. The feeling of being lifted into his arms and carried in, what she now knew to be the direction of the dining room, startled her.

Leaning down as he walked he answered, "I know, Koi, I know." As they entered the elegant dining hall, that to this very moment still seemed a bit excessive to the futuristic miko, they were rudely intercepted by a certain fumbling toad servant.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Sesshomaru-sama! There are reports of a demon hoard near the eastern border. The villagers demand your protection!"

Growling, the inu set down his chosen female and glowered at the toad. Sometimes being a lord was vastly overrated. Sighing as audibly as his persona would permit, his kissed Kagome on the cheek and left with promises of a quick return. He did indeed plan to make his return quick, for the creatures that disrupted his time with his mate were about to know the full wrath of the western lord.

A/N: Well, the next chapter should be A LOT more exciting. I hope you all enjoyed it, and again I'm sorry that it was kind of a slow chapter. Please review for me, it compels me to write more. Oh, by the way, I think it's hilarious how old some of you think I am. I believe age is just a number, but seriously guys I'm not even close to some of your guesses. Well, thanks again!

P.S.- I appreciate all of the suggestions, but I'm not planning on using any of them. There are certain things that have yet to fall into place. Also, it just doesn't feel right. Sorry.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Hello again. Honestly I'd like to thank you all for the wonderful reviews and messages you've given me. As much as it may not seem like it, it really helps to know that people are reading my work. Like I said before though, I write for my own personal enjoyment and try not to get too serious about any of it. Life's too short anyway. I'm thinking that this story will be about 7 or 8 more chapters and then I'll get back to Traditions and Tempers. After that I might do another Inuyasha story or I might try doing something else. Well, her you go. Thanks!

With Naraku-

Scathing crimson eyes glared furtively at the white marble exterior of the palace moon. It in itself was known as the most luxurious, richly decorated structure in all of Japan. Even the other lords of the cardinal lands eyed it with envy. Its origin was not entirely known, for it dated back for beyond even the great grandfather of the formidable Inu no Tashio. His own abode, which he secured with knowledge of his coming family, was grand but it paled in comparison to this.

Anger evident in his features, the corrupt hanyou scowled. He deserved such a home as this, after all he was soon to be the reigning lord of all of the country. Perhaps when he had completed his takeover he would relocate back to house of the moon with Kagome. The thought of his female inside another male's prospective den made the finite hairs on the back of his masculine neck raise in fury. She would obviously now think him to be less sophisticated than the western lord and the thought irked him. It mattered not, though for she would soon forget all others but him.

Reaching a rough, clawed hand into the front pocket of his deep purple hakamas, he felt for the vile he had carefully stored within. Feeling the cool glass against the tips of his fingers, he enclosed the tube in his palm and drew it fourth. Holding it before his eyes, he examined the diluted blue contents. It didn't look particularly appetizing, but he could handle anything; he was after all Naraku.

Flicking away the cork stopped that had held the contents in place, he poured the fluid down his throat in one swift motion. After a moment of a slight tingling sensation, he reopened his eyes which he had reflexively closed and held up what now was a pale, thin fingered hand with magenta stripes adorning the wrist to what he surmised to be his now amber eyes. Grinning wickedly, a jolt of pride in his own evil genius shot through him before he began his search for the female miko.

After several minutes of fruitless searching, upon the onset of frustration, he jumped to an elegantly designed balcony on the second floor and smirked as he watched his prey through the slightly ajar glass entrance doors. His Kagome was indeed even more beautiful than he had remembered. As she sat thoughtfully at what was obviously a cherry wood vanity with her delicate chin propped against her dainty hand, he watched her luscious raven locks blow in the wind. Unfortunately, her glassy sapphire eyes were closed in thought, hiding them away from his view.

After having taken a minute to regain his composure, he was almost barreled over once more as he felt her aura encircle him. He had been so caught up in her beauty that it had gone unnoticed, but its power was hard to miss for long. He felt her pure power singing his own dark aura and relished the slight pain. Always a bit of sadomasochist, it only served to further arouse him.

Not wanting to wait any longer, he silently strolled into the chamber, making sure to keep his presence unknown. Curiosity forced his hand to her shoulder, wanting to see how she reacted to the touch of a certain inu male. It didn't surprise him in the least when she jumped slightly and gave a startled yelp before spinning around to see the countenance of the being that even know gently kneaded her flesh.

He watched the worry in her sparkling eyes turn to relief as she realized, or thought she realized, who it was. The adoration that shone through her entire being had the hanyou boiling with rage within seconds. Trying his best to refrain from beating the girl for her obvious love of another, he was calmed momentarily by her voice. "Oh! Sesshomaru, you scared me! I didn't think you would be back so soon. Is everything alright? Are you hurt?"

Wanting to lash out at her for her show of affection towards the one she assumed him to be, he had to take several deep breaths before he could think. Deciding to be safe since he didn't know if the potion would disguise his speaking voice or not, he simply nodded, figuring it wouldn't be an unusual gesture for the Tai.

Not in the mood for wasting time, he roughly pulled her with little protest from his future lover. Her eyes showed some concern for his, or more over the lord's well being, but she complied with his wishes. Slashing his mouth roughly across hers, he gave her the kiss he had been storing for her since they first met. A rough nip at her bottom lip leading to her short gasp of pain, allowed him to violently thrust his tongue into her moist cavern.

He couldn't decide whether he was simply releasing pent up sexual frustrations or consciously punishing her for letting another male touch her in such a manner. Either way, he clasped the back of her head like an iron band when she tried to pull away for air and released some of his toxic miasma from his mouth to hers. Within seconds she was limp in his arms and he started the journey to their new home, only stopping every so often to look down at his queen.

With Sesshomaru-

Easily reaching the quaint border village, the youkai lord of the west scanned the terrain carefully with his demonic eyes. Immediately they were drawn to the hoard of rabid boar and serpent demons that were currently making game of the village mortality rate. Deciding he didn't have the patient for a drawn out attack he simply unsheathed his evil blade and charged the group.

The first, a snake youkai with an awful purple like tint to his skin was headless within seconds. A few more carefully placed blows had brought down the majority of the hoard. Focusing on one of the bigger demons covered in armor like scales he searched for a weak point. His disregard for the others ended abruptly when he felt a giant tentacle limb impale his stomach.

Being quite familiar with such pains, he ignored the tearing sensation and quickly slashed the armored demon's unprotected jugular. A few more moments yielded his victory over the lower ranking creatures; a spiteful hiss escaped his thin lips as he turned his torso slightly to sheath his sword. Normally, his demon healing abilities would have already been working to close the gaping hole that now was centered through his stomach, but his inu sense of smell could clearly detect some type of poison pumping through the wound. One would think that by having poison abilities himself, he would have been quite immune to the substance but it was the exact opposite.

The green acidic solution that flowed through his vein had always reacted badly when mixed with other poisons, making him more or less hyper sensitive to their affects. Inconvenient? Yes, but also quite unavoidable. Hearing the commotion of approaching villagers he gathered his dignity and slid his stoic mask back into place.

He watched as an elderly woman, who smelled strongly of medicinal herbs, hobbled toward his regal personage followed by what seemed to be the entire town populace. Mentally wincing as her cracking, throaty voice permeated the air he listened. "My lord! My lord! Let us heal you. Follow this way to the hut!"

A low growl reverberated through his chest. He did not like being ordered around and it was not something he tolerated from anybody. Besides, he knew she meant to heal him and the thought of any female's hands against his skin except those of his beloved Kagome almost made him gag in a most literal sense. The only thing that forced his leather clad feet to carry him after the hag was the thought that he needed to survive with no lasting damage. After all, he would soon have pups to raise and a mate to care for.

Ducking to enter the worn down shack, he sat rigidly on the indicated chair. Or, at least he assumed it to be a chair. In all honesty the craftsmanship was so poor that he found it hard to tell. He watched as she ground several plants together and smeared the mixture onto a rather crudely formed poultice. As she approached him, he could smell the anesthetic and growled when he recognized the distinct scent of a certain herb. Several times before he had received it for medicinal reasons and each time it had made him weary enough to need rest, which said a lot since he rarely slept.

"Woman, you will refrain from using that on this Sesshomaru." He watched as he twisted features gathered themselves in what he would guess was an expression of confusion.

"And why not my lord?"

He huffed mentally. Females were always wanting to know everything. "Because this Sesshomaru says so."

"But my lord, you surely know that without it even your demonic healing abilities will be quite irrelevant." In truth, the lord knew that he could survive without the stuff, but the deciding factor was the simple knowledge that without it he would be sick for several days and therefore incapable of protecting his Kagome.

"You will provide a place to rest for the night." He tone was bored, yet commanding. It was not his wish to stay in the village and leave his future mate alone with that idiot toad and his unknowing palace guards but it was something that would save him a lot of trouble in the long run.

As she nodded, the elder carefully stepped forward and exposed Sesshomaru's distinctly muscled chest. Applying the poultice, she could hear his distaste of her touch. 'Well if the brat wants to be that way then fine.' She thought to herself as she gave one last, particularly hard securing tug at the wrap.

After several minutes, the dog prince could already feel the affects of the crushed leaves as he was lead to a darkened hut several hundred yards away from the rest of the village structures. He was given a sleeping roll and knitted wool blanket which he had already decided not to use as it irritated his heightened demonic senses and was then left alone.

Situating himself on the old, half rotted wood floor his last conscious thoughts traveled to his woman. 'If that idiotic toad lets anything happen to this Sesshomaru's bitch the pain he will feel will be immeasurable.' Closing his honeyed eyes he tried to block off conscious thought, but was quite disturbed by the level of village conversation. They had obviously forgotten about his hearing capabilities. The agitation lasted only several minutes as he was knocked into a comatose state from the viscous substance smeared across his chest. Quietly, he fell away into dreams of his Kagome.

With Naraku and Kagome-

Yawning in a most delicate manner, Kagome partially opened one weary eye and looked around. From her position, all she could see was a significant amount of black and purple silks. Sleepily uncurling herself from the tight ball she had apparently shrunk herself into during her slumber, the miko stretched in a very feline like manner. Slowly propping herself up on her elbows, she noticed that she was currently situated atop a veritable mountain of silk pillows. The color choices of a deep purple and a pitch black vaguely reminded her of something, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

As it began to dawn on her that the surroundings that now encased her were nothing like those she had resided in for the past several nights, a slight tingle of panic began to crawl up her spine. In an attempt to be as rational as possible, she tried to mentally retrace her steps and figure out how she had arrived in well, wherever this was. In the end, the whole idea turned out to be fruitless. Now quite sure she wasn't within the protective halls of the palace moon she sat up stiffly and drew her knees to her chest.

As a second, more fierce wave of terror was about to shake her she caught a slight movement out of the corner of her eye. Aiming her hardened gaze toward what seemed to be a stone archway cast in shadow, she silently dared whatever creature was present to show themselves; and show themselves they did. Within seconds, the dark hanyou Naraku was sauntering into her direct line of vision smirking like the Cheshire cat. Never one to be silent Kagome didn't waste a moment in her questioning, "Naraku," she seethed, Why am I here? And for that matter, where is here?"

Her defiance only served to deepen his attraction to the woman. By the gods how he wanted her. Taking an inaudible breath he answered, "You are in my, or should I say our home, pet. And as for the reason you're here I believe you should already know." His crimson eyes sparkled as he felt her holy aura flare with her anger. This was also something he had thought of. Upon his return to the now vacant castle, he had placed a silver bracelet containing enough of his own demonic energy mixed with several ancient spells around her petite wrist. This way he, her powers would be of no concern to him. During the process he had also changed her into a more suitable kimono, which it seemed she had just realized. Her body had indeed been tempting but his inner demon had at least some honor.

At that same moment, the young miko, feeling the need to break eye contact with the vile being, cast her eyes downward. It was then for the first time that she realized her current attire. She was wrapped in a purple and black silk kimono, much like the pillows she sat atop of. The intricate thread patterns were most impressive, but she was much more concerned with what the garb was doing on her. "What is this?" She spat at the half demon spider.

He chuckled darkly, "Why, pet, it's a kimono. I found the colors to be most appropriate as they are the representation of my house. They are indeed fitting for my future mate." There was a brief moment after his statement through which he wondered if the bracelet would not simply just burst off her and crumble from the tremendous power she was exuding. Luckily for him, his spells stayed put and left the little priestess powerless, not that she knew quite yet of course.

Her mind practically in overload at the moment, the only thing the miko could utter was a simple, "What?" Waiting, trying to clear her mind, she flinched noticeably when she heard his dark voice begin an explanation.

Smirking, he decided to humor the girl with a response. "Why pet, I thought I had already made it clear that you are to be my dark queen. We will mate and soon rule over the whole of Japan. Mmm, I'll take good care of you. Everything you wish for will be yours so long as you obey my every word. Think of it little one, all the magnificent pups we will have, so strong and witty." Looking at her facial expression he could plainly see the horror written across her features. "Oh don't worry my dear, eventually you will come to adore me. You will soon live only for me."

It took Kagome several minutes to respond, for the impact of his words upon her was about the equivalent of being physically struck. "No! No, no, no, NO! Sesshomaru will come for me…he will…" the last part was much lighter than her original tone, but it was heard nonetheless.

It took only seconds for Naraku to have the girl roughly jerked from the ground and standing before him. Never being one to control his temper, he let his large, masculine hand fly and the resounding crack echoed around the chamber as the back of his hand struck her a blow mighty enough to make men stagger. Immediately pulling her chin back in his direction and bringing her within inches of his face he snarled, "You will NEVER speak the name of another male in my presence am I understood?" Without waiting for an answer he continued, "Besides pet, your precious inu lord won't know of your absence for some time. I've sent a few friends to keep him….busy." The last word was said so darkly that Kagome actually shivered in response.

As a thought struck her Kagome tried to distract herself from the creeping sense of doom that she had begun to feel by whispering, "Do…do you…are you going to….going to r-rape me?" Mentally cursing herself for her stuttering she quietly awaited a response from the man looming above her.

Having already given thought to the mattered Naraku was prompt with his response. "No my little Kagome, I will not rape you. I shall give you time to realize your good fortune. However, if you have not consented to me within several weeks, I shall have to retract my word and take you by force. However," he smirked, "I can assure you that it would be much more…pleasurable…if you came to me willingly. You know pet, despite what you may think, I can be a gentle lover for you. Of course I myself enjoy rough rutting but perhaps I can accommodate you on some occasions if you are a good little mate."

Watching her closely he chuckled. Realizing that she was a bit too shocked to say anything coherent at the moment he decided to make an announcement. "Come, we will be going to dinner now."

Kagome herself was shaken out of her seemingly endless hole of self pity when she heard his words. Turning on slightly to look at him as he had now released her chin from his grasp, she scoffed. "No, I will not be joining you Naraku. I'm not hungry and even if I was I'd much rather starve." The last part of her statement was bitten out rather fiercely.

A yelp of pain was pushed from her lungs as the futuristic miko was literally slammed into the cold stone wall by an annoyed hanyou. The sound of her shoulders blades colliding with the hard wall nearly made her nauseated, but she took several deep breaths and contained herself.

Naraku's inner beast whined at the sound of it's mate's pain, pain but he had already made up his mind that she would learn who was master from early on. Leaning towards her, he crooned in what was almost a calm voice, "Never say no to me, Koi. Never." As he watched her, his crimson eyes caught the shine of wet tears sliding down her porcelain face. He could feel the soft sob that racked her tiny frame and drew her to his muscular chest.

Affectionately, for he did honestly feel a great deal for the little woman, he used his long tongue to trace way the watery trails that had been left behind. Feeling her shiver at his more intimate touch he placated, "Pet, if you would only behave for me I could be gentle with you. Do you understand?" When he did not receive an answer, he hooked his fingers under the chin of the thoroughly distraught Kagome and said, "Tell me you understand."

The miko nodded meekly, not in agreement but out of plain despair. Soon she found herself being drug behind the infamous spider to what seemed to be a dining room. She watched as he sat at the head of the table and shoved her down gently to his left where she remained. Unlike at the house of the moon, there were no servers visible to the girl. The confections merely appeared before them. If it was anyone else she had been with, she would have asked about the mysterious phenomenon, but seeing as it was Naraku that she was with she decided to make as little conversation as possible.

Turning to the female on his left, the hanyou spoke. "As you can see pet, I've dismissed the servants for a period. You and I will be spending the next weeks together so we can learn all there is to know about one another." The whole scene pleased him greatly. His woman was sitting next to him, at her appropriate place and they were alone. Something told him that he wouldn't mind spending the rest of his evenings in this manner.

Regaining some of her old fire, Kagome snorted. "Naraku, there is nothing I could ever possibly want to know about you and there is certainly no way that I'm going to tell you anything about me." However, the comments seemed to go unheeded by the hanyou as he progressed the conversation.

His crimson eyes sparkled in what one, on any other being, would have called curiosity. "Hm, so little one where has your fowl tempered hero wondered off to lately?" He watched her closely as she paled considerably and her breathing accelerated. Her discomfort was obvious, but he was too damn interested in what her response would be to comfort her.

Kagome could feel herself panic. Where had Inuyasha been lately? The last time she had seen the hanyou was in the field Sesshomaru had brought her too. He hadn't been himself…well; obviously she thought mentally slapping herself. She'd never seen him in his bestial form for such a long period of time. Where was his father's fang? Shouldn't that have kept his demonic blood in check? And what in the world did he want from her? Didn't he love Kikyo? She had already decided that she wouldn't let him play with her. The second she had even considered being with Sesshomaru was the exact second that he wanted her. There was no way! 'I waited years for him and the second I have the strength to get over him that asshole decides that he wants to have a relationship.' The sound of her present companion clearing his throat in an irritated manner drew her back to reality. She quickly said, "I don't know nor do I care."

A dark chuckle erupted from his lips, "Do you and the pathetic mutt have a falling out? What a pity…" The sarcasm that laced his voice was so thick the miko wouldn't have been surprised if he choked on it. As she moved to make a disgusted remark he asked her another question. "Why have you been with that fool Sesshomaru recently little one?"

She was really beginning to hate his pet names for her. It was just creepy coming from him. Why had she been with Sesshomaru? She had given her word but she was beginning to believe that that wasn't the only reason she stayed. "Sesshomaru and I had some…business…to discuss."

"Oh really," the hanyou drawled, "What kind of business."

"Private. Private business."

He would have chuckled at her sharp tongue but he knew very well what the intention of the western lord was. The dog saw the girl as his mate; the collar with the house of the moon insignia around his little one's throat had not gone unnoticed but he had placated his demon enough to keep it from harming the girl for her blatant disrespect. He wanted the thing off…but knew that it could only be removed by the hands of the western lord. For now he would focus on taming the vivacious spitfire, he would have plenty of time to worry about the collar later. More on topic, he answer did not suit him but he had decided to let it slide.

Looking at his raven beauty one more, he spoke. "My little lover, can you imagine what our future will hold?" By this time his voice had lowered to an impressive octave and was sounding dreamy and far away. "We will rule together. All of Japan will be ours, Koi. You will satisfy me every night. Each day I will show you like the prize you are. How the other males will glare. This Naraku loves the feeling of having something everybody else wants….and I will. I will conduct business and you will raise the pups." His eyes twinkled in a most genuine manner. "Would you prefer a male or a female first little one?"

By this point Kagome felt a sincere sense of accomplishment that she wasn't gagging on her own bile. What was it with everyone lately? Just a few days ago she had thought she still loved the inu hanyou, Inuyasha, and then Sesshomaru had come along. He may be cold to everyone else, but she couldn't believe how soft and loving he was with her…most of the time. He did have a tendency to be even more jealous and possessive than Inuyasha, an impressive feat indeed. Did she love him? She thought so; no, she knew so. Why else would she have agreed to be his mate? And now…now Naraku was acting all weird. Wasn't he trying to rip her limb from limb just a few months ago? None of it really made any sense to her. Snapping out of her revere, she simply looked at the half spider youkai not saying anything.

As he observed the little female, he caught the questioning feeling floating about her aura. Sometimes, it really did pay off to have the demonic ability to read auras. Several minutes later his eerily glinting eyes were still glued to her as he observed her let out a poorly concealed yawn. With a clap of his callused hands, the barely eaten food was gone and he picked up his future lover in a bridle style hold. At first she fought against him as he cradled her to his defined chest, however about halfway to their destination she resignedly huffed and folded her arms.

Several moments time brought them to a large room that Kagome had never seen before. The inside was decorated in deep crimsons and reds, giving the entire space the feel of bloodied battle field. Large, red velvet curtains hung over enormous arched windows and several rugs of the same color were spread along the stoned floor. A giant futon was situated in the middle of the room and covered in numerous silken sheets and pillows, with one large black fur tossed across the bottom. A small black table was placed on each side of the bed and each held slowly burning incense. The only other things in the room were two large chests mostly likely filled with clothing, several small daggers with a polishing/sharpening kit and several smaller trinkets strewn about the floor.

It was obvious to the miko that this was the sleeping chamber of the hanyou Naraku and she nearly gagged as he placed her down on his bed. Well, he was going to get a piece of her mind. "Hey! What do you think you're doing? There is no way I'm sleeping here! Ew! I can only imagine how many whores you've screwed on this thing!"

She didn't have to wait long for a response as the half demon spider pounced onto her, pinning her hands above her head and crushing her to the mattress. "Woman, you would do well not to irritate me. You might think this Naraku to be vile, and it may very well be true but I will not bed any female besides my mate. Implying such is simply putting yourself in danger. Obviously, the inu didn't teach you anything about mating. While I might not hold your…innocence…I wouldn't resort to rutting another female. And as for not sleeping in my bed, this Naraku would like to inform you that this is now _our_ bed. If you wish to sleep at all little one, you will do so here where I can watch over you."

As the hanyou looked down at the form of struggling woman underneath him, her wriggling thighs brushed against his sensitive manhood. Simply seeing her in his bed was enough to make him rock hard and completely ready, a feat he never before thought possible. Her small sounds of struggle only served to fuel his fire more in a most enticing manner. Didn't the little minx know what she was doing to him? At this rate his sanity wouldn't last long. Instinctively, he pressed his hardness into her soft hip and began to slowly grind her. It was mere seconds until she froze under him, not deterring him from his ministrations in the least. The meek voice coming from under him was the only thing that stopped him from going further. "N-Naraku…y-you said y-you w-w-wouldn't…"

A vicious growl tore through him at her reminder. He may have been a bastard, but he would keep his word….for now. Almost violently he rolled off of her and yanked her back against his chest. In the forced spooning position, he rested his jaw on top of her head, taking in her heavenly scent. He could feel her shaking with small sobs as he held her, and soon she had cried herself to sleep. With one last deep inhalation, he himself decided to try to gain a few hours rest. After all, tomorrow was going to be an exciting day indeed.

With Sesshomaru the next morning-

Wit the aid of his demonic healing abilities the inu lord of the west was easily awakened by pure habit at the dawn's first light. He had left the village without so much as a word of thanks, in hopes of reaching his Kagome before she awoke. In comparison, the journey back to the castle took even less time due to his, he supposed the feeling was called excitement to see his mate again.

The lord was still on an emotional high, which was of course not evident in his exterior, from hearing the wonderful little female agree to become his mate. As he neared the palace moon, he was intercepted by a quaking Jaken. Normally, he would have raced right past the little toad demon, but the fear in his scent could only mean something had gone wrong while he was away. Stopping suddenly, he gave the creature a cold glare demanding to know what had happened without so much as a word.

Jaken himself was about at sick with worry; not for the girl but for himself. Having elected to take the night off seeing as he'd worked every day for the past two centuries, he had not known of the girl's absence until early this morning. He gulped, knowing his lord, this wasn't going to go over well…not well at all. "S-S-Sess-Sesshom-maru-sama…. Uh, this lowly Jaken begs your forgiveness. He….he…he has searched the castle up and down and….and…and it appears your female is m-m-missing.."

Sesshomaru felt as if his blood had turned into liquid fire. The rage that consumed him was deeply rooted in his soul that it only took mere seconds before he had transformed to his true demonic form. The beast within him had simply snapped free of it's mental restraints at hearing the news. Soon, a resounding howl, the howl of an angered inu on the hunt, could be heard tearing through every corner of the western lands.

A/N: So, what did you think? For those of you that are wondering, there will be some lemony content between Naraku and Kagome, but it won't go as far as actual sex. I think that it will be another chapter or two before Sesshomaru actually arrives at Naraku's castle, since I have something in mind. Please review for me! Thanks!


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Hello! Hopefully you're all still enjoying the story. I don't really have much to say here this time but thank you so much for all of your wonderful reviews. By the way, it is always my intention to get the chapters up as fast as possible, so I apologize if they take a little bit of time. Oh yeah, I think there was a little confusion about Inuyasha and Kikyo. I implied their mating but they are not mates. Once an inu has taken a mate, he will on bed them but until he finds a worthy female it isn't uncommon for him to bed several. I'm sorry if I caused any confusion and I plan to go back and look at how I worded that section of the text.

WARNING: There will be oral sex in this chapter. If this type of content offends you, I would suggest you do not read this. It will be nonconsensual and fair violent. The story has its rating for a reason, please respect it. Thank you.

With Sesshomaru-

Anger raced through his veins. With each beat of his demonic heart, more of the dark, all consuming rage was pumped into his blood. Youkai rage, or bloodlust, is a powerful thing, it is in essence very rare to see a demon go into a full fledged fit; perhaps once a century if you're lucky. Sesshomaru, the infamously frost bitten lord of the west, had been reduced to such a state. The most minute amount of concentration, or even afterthought, it took any demon to hold their humanoid form was simply no longer within his dangerously clawed grasp.

Snapping his deadly jaws like a wolf protecting its latest kill, Sesshomaru let loose a howl, the likes of which was known only to the inu clan. For all other demons, it simply meant to steer clear of the being that had released it but to every dog demon in Japan it was a clear message. A message saying that his female had been taken and that he would kill any who got in the way of her retrieval.

Locked in his mental prison, the rational side of the demon lord was trying to figure out where in the world his Kagome could have gone. The bitch knew better than to just wander off without his permission. Hadn't he drilled his dominance into her head for the past week? What had she been thinking? His pride refusing to acknowledge that she had disobeyed his orders began to turn to other possible solutions. What if she had rethought her decision about being his mate? What if she only agreed to be with him so he would let his guard down? Would his female do that?

As his doubts of her faithfulness to him began to escalate, he was completely knocked off his train of thought. His inu nose had just scented something, something strong. It was obviously attached with a dark aura that had been present naught but a day ago if that. The wretched fumes made even his amber eyes water as he scented the unmistakable perfume of lust laced with that of greed and malice. Something was tearing at the back of his mind, telling him his knew this scent.

Try as he might though, the enraged male couldn't place it. He knew it didn't belong to any of his pack, for his little Rin smelled of the bellflowers that grew so richly behind his castle and that idiot toad, whom he made a mental note to mutilate, revive and mutilate again, had always clung to the smell of damp soil. It wasn't the piney fragrance of his brother or the smoky one of that ridiculous wolf prince. Kagome's scent of spring rain and crisp autumn apples wafted through the air, but that was only to be expected.

Seconds later it was as if his entire world closed in around him shrinking to the size of the tiniest box as realization struck him. There was only one being in the whole of Japan, and in his belief the whole of the world that carried such a horrid stench. Naraku. That mutated abomination of a spider demon. If he was going to sell his human flesh to become a hanyou, why not also sell his human soul and become a full demon. Although he doubted Naraku knew that the process was indeed possible, it had always seemed a bit, what was that term Kagome had used. Ah, 'half-assed' to just go halfway.

His victory of recognizing the bastard's scent was short lived when he realized that he had no clue where the dark hanyou was dwelling these days. There had been rumor of him settling in the north several months ago, but he knew the spider too well to assume that he had stayed put. Each minute that his civilized side spent thinking only served to further agitate his demon counter part.

When both seemed about ready to scream in frustration, the pair felt a light tug within their chest. It was as if their soul was being pulled from a great distance. The thought at first outraged him but he slowly realized that there was only one being that could possible have such a binding connection with him. It had to be his Kagome, subconsciously calling him through the collar he had placed on her. This type of ability for such an object was not within his understanding, but at the present time he didn't give a damn. The blood beast recognized the pull as well and sent another chilling howl ringing through the air before bounding away in great strides towards the pull in his soul.

With Naraku and Kagome-

As rays of light beamed their way through the rippled glass window making themselves known, Naraku squeezed his eyes closed tightly. He may be a demon but those first few streams of light were for any mortal. It wasn't a problem he usually faced since he could go such long periods without rest, but he had a feeling he would be spending a lot more time in bed from now on. The cause of it still lay cradled in his arms, her even breaths pushing the delicious mounds of her bosom up and down. Waking up to a warm female body molded against his flesh was indeed pleasant; he could certainly get used to it. Resting his head back on the finely woven silk pillow, he allowed himself a fanged smirk. Yes, he deserved to congratulate himself on a job well done.

Outsmarting that worthless inu had been much harder than he originally planned. In all his years he'd never actually tangled with an inu and its mate but he now knew the rumors were true. They were the most outwardly possessive of all demons when it came to their females. Getting the dog away from his proverbial bone had been a rough task, but finally he struck winning chord by applying to the lord's useless sense of honor. Oh, he had known the puppy would go running to save his precious villagers; as much as everyone liked to think that damn dog was self-centered it simply wasn't true. It had been a challenge, but he had always lived for such challenges and it was now just another notch on his belt. He was a genius; if he did say do himself.

Now that he had the little female it was time to start making plans for their future family. Family…the word was odd to him as he had never had the slightest desire to have one of his own. What good would it do him? That had always been his trademark question. If there wasn't anything in it for him, he'd be damned if he did it. He never thought of it as selfish, no, it was simply prioritizing. Now, however, things were different. What he had not realized was that by becoming part demon, he would also develop bestial instincts. His body had been telling him it was high time he took a mate for quite a while now. Resistance became harder and harder until he had finally caved and began his search. That had certainly been hell. Every female he looked at was immediately shot down by his baser self and before long he was running out of options.

It had actually been during one of his many battles with the inu hanyou that he had first recognized her as his mate. Blow after blow had been struck and it was obvious he had the upper hand. As his fellow hanyou fell and was about to be impaled by one of his many tentacles, the girl had dived in front of him. Normally, his first response would have been outrage followed by the undeniable urge to kill them both. But a strange feeling, he had later found to be jealousy filled him. Why would such a strong female give her life for this pathetic mutt? Did she not know she was too good for him? She needed someone like…like…like himself.

The thought had shaken him so badly that he had simply retreated without giving any particular reason, not that he had to justify himself to those worthless creatures anyway. It was a slow process, but as the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months he had finally accepted his attraction to the little female. Why not? She was obviously the best female and he had always thought of himself as the best male so it all fell together.

After all the girl was heavenly with her raven lock cascading down her perfectly formed bosom and those blazing sapphire eyes that seemed to cut right through everybody surrounding her. She was far more gorgeous that Kikyo had ever been. Yes, he had at first compared the two not yet willing to let go of his old love. However, even his human side saw how much better this Kagome. Although he was loathe to admit it, a part of him, a very human part still longed to be loved and cherished in the way a female cherishes a male. Kikyo would never have been able to do that for him, she was simply far too cold. It was different with Kagome; she had a heart big enough to encompass everyone, but soon she would love him alone.

Having pups with this female wouldn't be bad. Maybe he was even looking forward to seeing their black haired, pale skinned offspring running about….just maybe. He was stirred from his thoughts as felt the girl stretch and snuggle into his warmth. Her small action nearly made him purr with pleasure. Now that he finally had a woman, he planned to cherish her like no other.

Kagome had awoken to feel of strong male arms wrapped around her waist and draped over her chest. Days ago she wouldn't have been able to identify such a feeling, but things were different now. Now she had her Sesshomaru; smiling at the thought, she pressed herself closer to his warmth. Slowly opening her eyes she gazed at the hand that was thrown across her. It took the girl only seconds to realize that there were no deep magenta markings adorning the attached wrist. After that it was mere seconds before she remembered the events of the past day. Struggling madly, she twisted and writhed in vain. Before long she felt the sharp press of fangs against the soft flesh of her neck. She had spent enough time with Sesshomaru to realize the action for what it was a submission hold. She also knew that he would not hesitate to seriously injure her if she failed to recognize his dominance.

Naraku felt the girl still and soon after heard her small whimpers of distress. It gave his male ego a boost that she so easily recognized his dominance and the danger she would be putting herself in if she failed to acknowledge it. Releasing her neck slowly, he used his rough tongue to soothe the small bite marks that had become imprinted into the back of her neck. Pulling her smaller body closer to him with one hand, he slowly raised his other clawed appendage and ran his long fingers through her silky midnight hair.

The feeling of his immeasurably sharp claws tickling along her sensitive scalp was enough to make her shiver, not to mention the hand that was gently rubbing small circles across her stomach. She would have protested his actions, but her chance never came. Before she could open her mouth to object the evil spider demon had rolled off of the undeniably comfortable futon and easily drug her with him.

Naraku straightened his back and left the girl standing by the bed frame for a moment, knowing that she was far too scared to do anything at the present time. Sauntering over to the first of the two chests that lined the far wall of the room, he flung it open and quickly snatched out a pair of plain black hakama pants and a matching black top. With no amount of modesty whatsoever, he disrobed from his current attire and turned to face his female. He saw her sharp intake of breath as he turned to her, pretending to straighten out several wrinkles in the fabric. He knew he was giving her a great view of his semi erect manhood that had, of course, been the plan all along.

Kagome herself almost fainted at the sight. It was painfully obvious the hanyou was showing off his 'package' deliberately but what could she do about it? Until a week ago she had never seen what her future friends so crudely termed a 'cock' and her she was seeing two in one week. Thankful when he finally slid his pants on and knotted them securely, the pure miko let out a large breath.

Naraku smirked at the girl's reaction and strolled over to other chest. Reaching in he spoke, "Here love, this is for you." Tossing her the garment he watched as her normally cheery face twisted into a look of pure horror. He wouldn't have expected any less from such a shy little woman. The dress he had given her was tight fitting and would definitely hug her curves in an enticing manner. The fabric was of a light lilac and embroidered into patterns of several large sakura flowers using a deep purple thread. The sleeves fit snugly at the top and then came down in a belled style; stopping at the higher part of her thigh, her long legs were going to easily visible to his hungry eyes. When he had gotten the garment he had already decided he would have her leave her hair down for him while she wore it. Yes, he was very pleased with his selection.

Kagome on the other hand, was not at all pleased with his choice of attire. This wasn't even a dress it…it...it was like a third of a dress. If he honestly thought she was going to wear that he had another thing coming. "This? How am I supposed to wear this? It isn't even half of a dress! What in the hell where you thinking?"

Having known she would put up a fight, his temper didn't flare up as it normally would have. "Koi, did I really give you a choice? If you find my personal choice of attire unsuitable you are welcome to walk around without any at all. However if you do decide to be reasonable, you may go behind the changing screen in the corner and flatter me with your agreeability."

Well, if it was a choice between walking around his castle naked or walking around in a damn hooker dress, she would definitely take the dress. Grumbling about demanding men, she slid behind the screen and slowly undressed. In truth she had expected him to make her change right in front of him…maybe he was a little more honorable than she gave him credit for.

Little did she know that the dark half demon had positioned the screen at such an angle that the sun filtering through it made it all but transparent. However, not everything went as planned. Naraku nearly snarled in frustration when he saw the small garments covering the areas of her that he most desired to look upon. Being able to see her figure was plenty enough to give him on of the most raging hard-ons of his life, but it still wasn't what he wanted. He didn't have much time for self pity, seeing as his little princess had just stepped out from the woven screen. A lecherous grin spread across his face, oh she looked even better than he had imagined. "You look lovely little one."

His mind quickly drew up an insanely vivid picture of those milky white thighs wrapped around his naked hips as he roughly pumped himself into her tight, dripping snatch. He could clearly see her perfectly formed breasts bouncing in front of his crimson gaze as he fucked her into oblivion. A silent moan escaped his thin lips as his reached down to resituate his painfully uncomfortable erection. This woman was going to be the death of him, he was certain of it.

Recomposing himself, he quickly snatched her wrist and began the journey down the corridor to one of his smaller sitting rooms. The trip was only a few minutes long and soon they arrived in a richly decorated little room. In the opposite corner was a comfortable looking chair made of mahogany wood and cushioned with newly designed cotton pillows. There was another almost identical to it in the corner parallel, while the space in between was strew with numerous throws and pillows. A fire burned slowly, even in these bright morning hours, across from the seating. The rest of the room was empty, seemingly left for recreational usages.

Moving to sit in the further chair, Naraku motioned for the female to do the same. But, as she cautiously went for the other chair he growled lowly and roughly pulled her onto his lap. Snapping his fangs at her in a show of displeasure, he forced her around so she was straddling his lap and laced his fingers intimately between hers. After her meaningless struggle had ceased he purred. "Now Koi, I think it's high time we continued with our little question game. Hm," he nuzzled his nose into the side of her neck and nipped at her before continuing, "What do you know about demon mating little one." The hanyou was indeed curious to see what the dog had taught her.

Blushing Kagome tried to turn her head away but was stopped when a strong hand on her chin forced her head straight. This had to be one of the last things she wanted to talk about with Naraku, but she decided to placate him, albeit grudgingly, until she had found some type of escape plan. "Not much. Well…only what Sesshomaru told me."

Failing to contain his growl at the fact she was on a first name basis with the demon lord and didn't see fit to add sama to the end of his name, he snarled at her. "And what exactly would that be?"

Kagome gulped at his sudden anger…talk about mood swings. "He said that choosing a mate is an important process for any alpha. The chosen female needs to be compatible on several levels and needs to learn to respect her mate and he will respect her in return. Apparently, the male is always dominate in the mating and it is important for the female to make her submission known." Even though she was pretty sure she loved Sesshomaru, the admittance of his male dominance still left a bitter taste in her mouth. She was a free woman; even if she wasn't in her time nobody was going to control her! However, she had a feeling that now wouldn't be the best time argue her case.

The hanyou nodded decided that her knowledge was suitable for now. Anything else she needed to know she would learn in time. Prying deeper into her knowledge of demon culture he asked, "And what has your mutt told you about raising demon pups?"

Kagome bristled at the insult to her future lover and was about to give him a piece of her mind, when she quickly reminded herself that she needed to play along with the whole obedience act if she ever wanted to get out of here. Restating the question to herself, she blushed. Sesshomaru had never really said much about raising demonic children to her, just that he planned for her to bear him a litter. Her blush deepening at the thought, she tried to shake it off, "Not much. All he said was that soon we would have a litter of our own."

Seeing the after affects of her words, Kagome seriously wished she could take them back. The dark being was seething and his eyes were tinting an even deeper red. Naraku himself was simply outraged at the fact that any male would even have the audacity to place such thoughts in his female's head. His rational side however, argued that it was not the girl's fault and that she would soon learn. Calming himself somewhat, he decided it would be best to get off the topic before he lost his temper with her. All he did was give her a small nod to show he had heard her, and continued to a completely different topic. "Hm, soon little one, you will be my queen and rule the lands by my side. Of course you will be expected to care of all the domestic matters and servant problems, as well as raising my heirs."

Rubbing his nose against her in what one would guess to be an affectionate gesture, he continued his mad minded speech. "As long as you obey my every word, pet, I have no doubts that we will get along just fine." Looking at her eyes, he saw that she knew not how to respond, so he decided to ask her a question that had been nagging at the back of his mind since he first realized his feeling for her. "Little butterfly, what is it you look for in a male? I've think I've given quite enough hints by the score of my regard. Beauty, grace, power…things of such a nature."

The priestess took a few minutes to answer as she watched his blood colored eyes devour her. "It doesn't matter to me…as long as I know they love me and I can love them in return."

Naraku scoffed, "Surely you look for more than that. What of looks, strength, intelligence?" Her answer had unsettled the hanyou. Normally a female would look for things such a wealth, status and physique, all of which he had, but love? Anything else she asked for he could have given her, but the bitch had to be difficult. Sure he felt something about her that he didn't feel for anyone else, but he, Naraku, would never be reduced to love. It was virtually useless emotion; the only actions it motivated were those of a complete fool. In his opinion, love was nothing but a huge game of theatrics.

"Well, sure it's nice to able to have a conversation with a guy and it's always a plus to be attractive, but I think love will always outweigh all the other characteristics for me. If a man truly loved me, he could be the most vile looking creature in the world and it wouldn't matter."

Naraku felt his small black heart constrict a bit at her words. Never would he admit it, but he would always long for such a love. Of course he was nearly positive that he wouldn't return the emotion, but knowing that someone liked him for him would be dream come true. The whole reason he became a half demon in the first place, was so he could be with Kikyo. That dream had been short lived, she didn't love him for what he was she had always taken advantage of what he could be. At that moment he swore to every god he knew that this woman would love him, even if he had to beat every piece of affection into her little body. Not wanting to convey his thoughts on the matter he simply said, "Then you are a foolish female indeed little one."

Kagome only sighed and shook her head. She should have known better than to even mention an emotion such a love to such a dark demon. But then again, she had thought the same thing of Sesshomaru at first. Oh, how wrong she had been. Even if he was an icicle to the rest of the world, he was always as gentle as a lamb with her, Eyes sweeping across the room, her gaze rested on a window on one of the side walls and she looked out longingly. She would give a great deal to be able to go out in the sun right about now.

Noticing where the girls' attention had gone, Naraku hid a genuine smile. It figured that his little flower would long to be out in the sun's light. Sanding and rolling the muscles in his broad shoulder, he addressed her. "Would you like to go for a walk my little one?" He watched as she nodded vigorously the instant the final words spilled forth from his lips.

Kagome could have squealed with joy. There just had to some to escape out there. There was no way an aged old castle like could not have some openings. Finally she would have time to search for them and try to make her escape. Her moment of glory was short lived however when she saw the dark haired hanyou pull a small silver chain from one of back folds of his hakama pants. It was obvious from the aura surrounding the object that it held some kind of magic within. It took her a few minutes but when he stepped toward her, she realized what he wanted to do. The bastard was planning on putting her on a leash. Giving a growl that could give any demoness a run for their money; she wildly shook her head and turned her back to him

Naraku's temper quickly rose with her defiance and he tried to explain things to her before he lost his control. "Pet, you must wear my little trinket; it is only for your protection." His demonic sense picked up the sound of her dull human teeth grinding together in rage as she shook her head once more. As she turned to face him once more, the light streaming in was glaringly reflected off the tiny silver crescent hanging from the collar around her neck. For some reason, it made his jealous state simply shoot through the roof. "Oh, so you will wear the great lord's collar for eternity but try to withstand my own small request?" There was a pause, in which he glared at the girl before she made eye contact with him.

"I wear his collar proudly," she snarled. Afterwards, she knew it wasn't the best decision but her own rage had clouded her sense of judgment. Strong hands encircled the miko's waist and swiftly hauled her up, tossing her over the shoulder of the fuming male. As her stomach came in contact with the mass of bone and muscle that was Naraku, all the air in her lungs was forcefully pushed, leaving her opened mouthed and wide eyed. Never knowing how they arrived, she supposed the hanyou had taken advantage of his demonic speed, she was once again found herself in the room that she had found rest in last night.

Her eyes brimmed with worried tears that her inane pride refused to let her spill. After being roughly tossed on the bed, the girl squeezed her eyes tightly shut only to hear the resounding click of a lock followed by the dark, raspy voice of her captor. "My little princess, that wasn't very nice now, was it?" All coherent thoughts were pushed from her panicked mind as the lean, spry form of Naraku pounced upon her.

His landing had been rough, easily knocking the air out of the small body beneath him and painfully smashing her sensitive breasts with his muscled torso. A quick movement had him straddling the woman, pinning down both her arms and legs with his own body. Plastering a look of mock hurt on his face, he spoke again, this time gently caressing her face with one hand and lightly stroking her delicate neck with the other. "Mmm, Koi, you have such soft skin, like the finest of silks. I would hate to have to mar such beauty, such an awful waste you know little one…"

His rich voice trailed off as his face hardened. Suddenly his gentle, lover's caress was gone and his strong hand was wrapped around her throat, cutting of her precious air supply. His other clawed hand forcing her eyes in his direction, he snarled at her. "However, it needs to be understood love," he released his grip on her neck only to yank a handful of raven hair backwards exposing her vulnerable throat to him. "That this Naraku is your Master, lover, husband and mate. Such behavior will not be tolerated."

Kagome had finally released the tears of desperation that had been welling up in hers. If this was what her life was going to be like, she wasn't exactly sure she wanted live a moment longer. It was all she could do not to literally gag at the closeness of her most hated enemy. Still regaining her breath, the woman's continuous train of thought came to screeching stop at the hanyou's next words. "Now pet, I think that it is time you apologized to me properly."

Not a moment later she could feel his hot breath fan across her throat before his long tongue darted out, tracing the path of her jugular. Nearly heaving what little she had managed to eat the night before, she closed her eyes once more as she felt the male's roaming hands. While his mouth was occupied nipping and sucking on her neck, most likely leaving the largest possible love bite he could, his rough hands slid over her. One was now trapped between them as he cupped her left bosom, gently massaging her and frequently tweaking her nipple. The other was wrapped around the back of her neck in a possessive hold.

Naraku could already feel his blood start to boil as a good portion of it rushed to one of his more needy appendages. After he was sure he left a mark of her pale throat he lifted his head a bit so that he could hover over the female. Realizing that her beautiful blue eyes were shut, he snarled and quickly recaptured her gaze. Speaking with his lips centimeters from hers he said, "Now, I want you to be a good little mate and kiss me, let me know how much you adore me little one."

Kagome just gazed at him wide eyed before resorting to steely glare. Did he honestly think that she was going to kiss him? Obviously he was much more psychotic than she had originally given him credit for. Nearly spitting the words she hissed, "Go tell hell Naraku."

The half spider demon let out a cold laugh and retorted, "My dear, I am hell." He immediately closed the distance between their mouths and nipped at her bottom lip in a teasing manner, sucking to into his mouth before giving her a light bite. Growing bored with such external play; he pushed his tongue against her soft feminine lips and smirked against her as she refused him. Giving her nipple a particularly hard twist he took advantage of her pained gasp by sliding his eager tongue into her hot mouth. As he began to press his small pink organ against hers, he suddenly got the instantaneous pain of being bitten. He growled as he tasted his own blood. Such rough bed play was only turning him on more. "Oh little one, if you wish to keep your innocence in tact for a moment longer I would suggest you stop such things."

Kagome nearly choked. That was supposed to have hurt him! Great, just great, not only was it enough that she had been kidnapped, no, the guy just had to such a masochist. For all she knew, she was betting that he was an even bigger sadist, but that was beside the point. "Y-y-you said y-y-you w-wouldn't force m-me…" she stuttered out in a meek voice. Cursing herself for showing such weakness, she looked to him for his answer.

Naraku snarled viciously at her words. He had forgotten, and even he, being a demon, would not go back on his word….so quickly at least. Trying to calm himself he was reminded that there were many forms of pleasure that came with penetration. Giving the female a fanged smirk he said, "But little one feel what you do to me." His statement was emphasized by positioning and grinding his twitching cock against the soft curve of her womanly hip. "Are you sure you don't want me to please you, I promise I could make it good for us both."

He watched the girl shake her head and he smirked; it was obvious she thought that she had won. How wrong she was. Looking into her still moist eyes he gave her a fanged grin. "As you wish little one, but you see, or rather feel, I am in need of a little relief." Pushing his swollen organ against her once more, he quickly hopped off of the bed, slicing the black fabric of both his hakamas and kimono top. Now completely nude, he towered over the girl grinning like a wild cat.

The priestess watched, unable to tear her shocked sapphire eyes away as the man in front of her reached down to his shaft and gave it a hard squeeze, turning the head a vivid purple color. It was definitely not as big as Sesshomaru's had been, she decided, but it was nonetheless gigantic. What in the hell was he planning to do? The uncertainty of the whole situation had her beside herself.

Naraku himself simply eyes the miko as he jerked his cock, pumping it up and down. Stepping up to the little woman, he grabbed her by her thick raven locks and tossed her onto the floor in from off, swiftly pulling her up to stand on her knees, eyes level with his aching dick. As he expected, the girl struggled like a mad thing, twisting and biting and jerking until she finally wore herself out. Gazing down at her panting form, he purred. "Now princess, it is time for you to please your mate."

Only one thought ran through Kagome's mind at his words, 'no'. There was no way she was doing that. However, the decision seemed to have been made for her when Naraku's hand roughly grabbed one of her own and forced it only to his steely pole. He held her there as she tried to pull away in a mixture of fear and disgust. "Now, Koi, you will please me…or I will end your existence. I'm sure I could bring you back in a more obedient form with a little help from the shikon jewel." In all actuality, he would never do that, he needed her the way she was. It was that simple, but he had never bluffed to her before, so he was counting on her naïve nature.

Of all the things that could have raced into the girl's mind at that moment only one really mattered to her. 'Sesshomaru'. She whimpered like a wounded animal. He would make her into one of his puppets and she would never get to see him again. If he would have just threatened to kill her, she would have gone along with it. But being a puppet? Being able to see her Sesshomaru and feel for him, but never to go to him? Just the thought snapped her heart in half and then broke it into a million tiny pieces. It wasn't something she could live with. At least she would have some hope of seeing him again if she went along with this. Instantly shame filled her, what would Sesshomaru think if he saw her touch another like this?

Would he be able to forgive her? Would he be able to understand? Each thought was like a game of Russian roulette, each was a chance for her to be pushed into oblivion. She hated herself. She'd do it, but she hated herself. She was just so selfish. It was selfish of her to go along with such an obscene blatantly wrong activity, just so she could maybe have a slight chance of seeing the man she loved in days to come, yes, she now knew she loved him. Tears formed once more in her eyes as she slowly began to move her hand along his shaft, trying with all her might not to gag in utter disgust.

The hanyou, however, was facing no such emotional problems. The second he felt her little fingers wrap themselves around his rock hard cock he was in heaven. As her soft hand began to move over him, he let loose a loud groan, letting his female know how much he enjoyed her attentions. Legs feeling weak from such incredible sensations, he leaned back against the closest wall and closed his eyes. He was completely aware of every pulse of blood in every vein of his shaft. It was the most extreme arousal he had ever experienced. To have a creature so innocence performing such a sinful deed for him was nearly pushing him to his limits. However, he wanted more. "Suck me," he grunted out in a strained voice, before placing a deadly claw lightly across her throat as a threat.

Kagome could actually feel the bile rise up in her throat at his demand, but tried her best to suppress the feeling. Sesshomaru, Sesshomaru, Sesshomaru…she repeated it over in her head like a mantra as she leaned down and timidly licked his shaft. Slowly she licked up and down the sides before hesitantly sucking the tip into her mouth. A sudden need for vengeance filled her soul and she bit down on the organ in her mouth, feeling her soft teeth press against his blood filled dick.

It was heaven, every second the hanyou was closer and closer to spilling his load in his mate's mouth…until he felt her bite. There was no more sensitive organ on a male and he choked out what he was sure was the most vicious sounding snarl the girl had ever heard. Yanking her away by her raven hair, he wasted no time in backhanding the bitch leaving a large red mark of her pretty face. "No teeth bitch," he growled. If she wanted to be a bitch, he could play that way too. Tossing her onto the bed, he straddled her face and simply jammed his sore cock down the girl's throat. As he pumped into her mouth frantically he could feel her chin brush against his overly sensitive sac.

Gagging from surprise and lack of air, Kagome struggled madly as she felt his hard cock violently push past the soft muscles of her throat and back out again. Crying in earnest now, she simply closed her eyes and tried to think of other things. She thought of the undying rose Sesshomaru had given her, of the feeling of being surrounded by his strong arms, of all the times she had seen him truly smile….but all her thoughts kept coming back to one thing. She felt like a whore, like a two dime whore. The feeling was elevated to unthinkable levels however, when she felt the first spurt of the hanyou's sperm hit the back of her throat.

Naraku couldn't take it anymore; just the sight of her black haired head between his thighs pushed him over the edge. He let out a long winded moan, followed by several pleased grunts as he emptied himself into her hot mouth. Spent, he rolled off the female and lay on his back panting. It occurred to him that there had been something missing in the whole process but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Wanting to regulate his breathing, he took a deep breath and that was when it struck him.

Snarling, he roughly lifted up the hips of the still tearful girl and pushed her short kimono over them. Impatiently slicing away the small garment that hid her womanly center from him, nearly howled with rage. The bitch wasn't wet at all. It was the scent of her arousal that he had been missing. Wasn't he attractive enough for her? Was that it? Leaning down he gave a punishing bite to her inner thigh, sinking his fangs through her soft flesh and letting her sweet blood fill his mouth. His beast was furious, and even he knew when he had to leave to calm his inner demon. Storming out of the room, snatching a new pair of hakamas on the way, he locked the door behind him, leaving the still sobbing female strewn across his bed.

The little miko from the future just couldn't hold herself together anymore. It was like each time she came close to the light of love, she was jolted back into the shadows despair. If ever there could have been a suitable situation of self pity, Kagome was pretty damn sure it was this. She didn't even understand why so many men wanted her all of a sudden. She wasn't strong like Sango, clever like Kikyo or even beautiful like Kagura. Why was about the only thought her mind could process at the moment. Part of her wished that she could take back time and never tumble down that stupid magical well into this era. Everything would have been so much simpler.

It had taken mere weeks for the hanyou she rescued from the sacred tree to steal her heart. Of course had tried to kill her at first and even after been rather crude and unsettling, but she couldn't help it. Many, many months ago when she had asked her mother about it she had been told, 'You can't choose who you love Kagome, that's just not how the world works.' At the time she had scoffed it off as another piece of decorated advice, but it was now she understood.

Only days ago it would have been Inuyasha that she was praying to come and save her….now it was his brother. If anyone had told her that she would fall in love with that icicle, she most likely would have laughed her to tears. These days it was hard to think of a single thing she didn't like about the lord, except maybe for his possessiveness. Her sobbing continued for another hour until she shot up, hearing the click of the door.

Naraku winced inwardly as he saw the little miko recoil at his mere presence. No, he would not allow himself to feel guilty for this. He had killed thousands before and never once had he felt even a slight bit of remorse for his actions but it was different now. Hardening his resolve, he strode over to the bed where is female was currently cowering and yanked her into his arms.

The small squeal that escaped her hurt his sensitive ears, making him give a low rumbling growl of warning. After all, his temper still wasn't quite under control yet. The only reason he had come back so soon had been the incessant whining of his blood beast. He felt her try to curl her soft body away from him, but he only tightened his iron like hold. "Little one," he sighed, "If you didn't misbehave as you did, I would have had no reason to punish you. It was my right and duty as your male to do such." He would have continued his little speech for the purposes of self justification, but a sudden sound made him stop. The howl of an enraged inu youkai reverberated off the stone walls of the castle, as he felt the ominous presence of whom he knew to be the demon lord drawing right beyond his gates.

With Sesshomaru-

The great white inu had been racing through the cardinal lands for the past several hours, relentlessly pursuing the spiritual pull he surmised to be coming from the collar he had bestowed upon his mate. Even as a youkai, his speed was nearly back breaking. Raising his large head, his blood red eyes caught site of a bleak castle. It took only seconds for him to confirm that this was indeed the place where he had been called to.

Picturing the many things his mate could have been subjected to, the long silver hair on his back bristled, standing on end. Sniffing the air once more and catching the unmistakable scent of his female's fear mixed with that of her salty tears, the lord of the west gave a long, raspy howl, voicing his challenge to the male inside the building.

A/N: Let the games begin! Anyway, that was definitely the longest chapter I've ever written. I hope it can hold you over for a while because I'll need two or three more days than usual before I can get the next chapter out (lots of stuff to do this week). Please review! Thanks again!


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: I apologize if this chapter sucks; fighting scenes aren't really my thing. I did try my best though. Some of it may be a little odd, but try to roll with it. Thanks again for all of your support and comments.

There were few times in his life, both demonic and human, that Naraku had ever felt fear. It has always been a useless emotion, one which brought down its carrier in the worst of ways. Besides, what had there been for him to fear? As a human bandit, he could easily raid towns, loot temples and gather a following; in his opinion, in could easily have been compared to the life of a king. Then there had been Kikyo, the woman whom he lusted for so badly that he willingly bargained away his flesh. Of course, he quickly realized how utterly ridiculous and unfounded his emotions for the woman were and set about ruining both her and the inu mutt. After that incident he had spent many years alone, becoming stronger, waiting for something worth his while to come along. That something just happened to appear in the form of a small pink jewel. From that moment and throughout his whole quest, he feared nothing.

Now he felt the utter panic and chill of despair that he had so often jested mindlessly with his prey about invade his own dark mind. He had not planned on the dog lord showing up so soon. In fact, his plan had been to claim and mark the woman before the rival male had arrived, thus making her unobtainable to any other male by demon law. Naraku knew that the stories of wonder surrounding the young lord were true, he had indeed tried to form an alliance with the inu at one point but the man proved himself impossible to work with. After quickly severing those ties, he had found other ways of finding what he liked to term his 'puppet men'. The name fit them, for they were truly like puppets, cowering in fear of him and complying with his every wish.

However, that was beside the point. The half breed knew that he stood no chance of beating the enraged Sesshomaru in a fair fight so he had to come up with something… and fast. Having much experience in such areas his mind instantly shot to the jewel shards he carried in a small silken pouch around his neck. Smirking like the madman he was, Naraku gave a low chuckle and stood. Turning away from the girl sprawled on the floor he used his razor like claws to execute a small slash on each of his wrists before placing several jewel shards within his body. Watching the skin grow quickly back into place, he could already feel the added power flowing through his veins. Throwing one last glance over his shoulder to the corner where his future mate sat, he made his way to the front of the old deserted castle to face the lord of the west in battle.

While the howling sound inspired fear in Naraku, it gave Kagome new hope. Her heart skipped a beat at the knowledge that her wonderful Sesshomaru was finally there for her. However, her elation was only momentary as a certain piece of knowledge presented itself to her. Naraku had taken the jewel shards. Not even Sesshomaru the lord of the West could hold strong against such a vast amount of power. It sickened her to think that his demise would come because of her own stupidity.

Unable to sit silently while she knew her inu suitor to be in danger, Kagome hauled herself to her feet and took off down the winding halls of the castle at a run. Not knowing exactly how to get to the two males, she let her instincts guide her and was soon rushing through a large gateway to the outside world.

Meanwhile, the very feral Sesshomaru paced back and forth before the old castle. The muscles of his tensed shoulders rippled under the heavy silver coat that fell haphazardly around his enormous from. The soft ground beneath his massive legs had long ago been imprinted in the form of his razor clawed paws. Truly a sight to behold, the lord snarled loudly, letting his acidic saliva drip from his open mouth, burning the ground beneath. Snapping his pointed incisors in a blatant display of his current frustration, he tossed his head back and forth in an effort to loosen his tightly knit tendons.

Possessed crimson eyes blazing in a state of delirium, the rabid inu froze upon eyeing the approaching form of the spider hanyou. Slipping from the shadows, as seemed fitting for a such a corrupt creature, he watched as the obnoxious half breed ceased his march only feet away from his true self and glared up towards him defiantly. With a great deal of effort, the rational side of Sesshomaru gave a great shove against his dark mental restraints. The result was far from what it would have taken to free him, but yet enough to force his descent into his humanoid form, not that it truly did him any good without at least some measure of control over his being.

Feeling the confidence of a thousand men, Naraku decided he would play with the wild dog for a bit before he finished him off. After all, it might be some time before he would get a chance to fight such a battle again. Sneering he spoke with a voice of mock courtesy, "Why, Lord Sesshomaru, what a surprise. If only I had known you would be coming to join me on this special evening I would have made much more suitable accommodations. What brings you here on this fine evening?"

Barely able to process the words from his opponent, Sesshomaru understood only one thing. The incompetent fool was mocking him; oh, his death would be a painful one. _:: Kill! Punish! Get mate! NOW:: _The mantra of the primal inu was plowing against his every sense as he replied to the rival male. "Mate. Mine. Now."

Laughing openly at the reduced mental capacity of the western lord, Naraku continued his tasteless jesting. "Mate? Really now? And I had thought you would live out your days in solitude? Who is the lucky female?" Not receiving an answer the haughty hanyou continued his game. "What a coincidence my lord, for I too have found a female I shall take as my own. She's a bit wild, but you know how they can be; I look forward to breaking her."

Even in this state, Sesshomaru knew Naraku spoke of his Kagome and it was unacceptable, completely unacceptable. Nobody spoke of his mate that way and lived to speak of it. A resounding roar ripped through his being as his challenge was issued once more. Not waiting for the response of his prey, he started circling his victim with a practiced warrior's grace, gained only by years of experience. He was poised to attack, balanced on the balls of his feet, when he was rapidly deterred from his plans.

The scent of his mate was near; whipping his silver head around he watched as his female stumbled from the castle gate and nearly fell to the ground. Another deep inhalation told him that she was wounded, perhaps not to a horrid degree, but it mattered not. When it came to his bitch a scratch was the same as a gaping wound. He twitching nose could pick up the salty fragrance of the girl's tears mixed with the unmistakable aroma of despair. _:: Mate! Ours! Go to! Mine:: _

Without hesitation he inu lord of the western lands sped toward his bitch, quickly gathering her in his arms before inspecting her with his blood covered eyes. Not pleased, a small growl slipped from his raspy throat. He could clearly see deep purple bruises forming around her neck in the shape of the hanyou's clawed hands. Her usually clear milky cheek was also marred by the appearance of a dark purple hand print. The female's eyes were swollen and red, instantly telling him of her distress and tears. The way her small human hands clung desperately to him spoke in volume, telling him all he needed to know.

Leaning closer in what had originally been intended as a comforting gesture, he let his rough tongue brush gently across her bruised cheek. It seemed fate was taking upon itself the role of instigator that day, for the lord caught a scent upon his female that angered him beyond all comprehensible thought. Jamming his nose between her slightly parted lips, Sesshomaru gained all the conformation that he needed and let loose a low roar.

His sensitive nose had caught the scent of another male inside her sweet oral cavern, one of the many places upon her that was his and his alone. However, the multitude of his anger was let loose at the realization that it was not merely any scent, but the scent of the vile hanyou's seed. _:: Ours! Mine! Claim! Rival! MINE:: _Unable to think of anything but the disgusting hanyou spilling himself in his bitch's sweet mouth, Sesshomaru dove down upon her viciously, mouth open and fangs bared.

Pinching her throat with a clawed hand, Sesshomaru drove his tongue down the throat of his Kagome in a frantic attempt to rid her of his rival's scent. Not even qualifying as a kiss, his actions continued as he sucked each breath of air from her lungs and into his own. At one point he had felt her gag reflex begin to act up but had simply braced his remaining hand on the back of her neck and kept to his pursuit.

Naraku, livid at the sight of his rival so openly tonguing his intended mate, released a snarl of his own, a clear indication of his challenge to the inu youkai. His crimson eyes watched carefully as the lord froze in his actions and slowly drew away from the female. Observing how the dog firmly yet gently pushed the girl backwards and gave her a commanding glance to stay, he steadied himself for the battle to come.

Through all the chaos, the western lord never failed to present himself as a true warrior. It could not easily be understood how a part of the dog lord so emotion driven could pick up his master's battle techniques, but there was much of Sesshomaru that could never be understood. Thrusting his right side forward, as was his usual tactic to present his stronger side affront, he spread his legs and twisted his lean waist. Raising one arm and bending his knees slightly Sesshomaru placed his clawed hand on the hilt of his sword.

Drawing it from its sheath with practiced ease, he raised it off handedly and began to stare down his opponent. Truly, his calm demeanor was being undermined by the furious ranting of his blood beast. _:: Ours! Our mate! Kill him! Punish! Ours:: _Catching the gaze of the hanyou, he waited for his opponent to make the first move.

Naraku, being the less experienced of the two combatants simply slung his fists up in an arrogant manner. The strength he was drawing the jewel shards embedded within his arms flowed through him like liquid fire. A moment of self righteous pity crossed him for his unlucky rival, but passed as quickly as it had come. Once the dog was taken care of, then he would have his mate help him 'relax'.

Seeing the lord was not about to make the first move, the overly confident half breed ended the tense stalemate by letting one of his infamous tentacles emerge from beneath the flesh of his back. The extended appendage wasted no time in darting towards his foe, but was met with a quick end as the lord neatly clipped it off with little effort at all. Not liking to be made a fool of, Naraku tried again, this time sending several of the slimy limbs forward at once.

Already having predicted the half demon's next move, Sesshomaru leapt into the air bringing his sword swiftly around his air borne body in a circular motion, putting an end to all of the advancing threats in one swing. Tired of playing the defense game with his rival, Sesshomaru sprang over the spider nimbly while bringing his sword down towards the vital arteries in his shoulder.

Narrowly dodging the unexpected attack, Naraku thrust forward several more tentacles before the dog prince even hit the ground. A grin passed over his dark features as one grazed his shoulder, bringing the scent of blood to the air. The rest were cut off within seconds, but it mattered not for he had the momentum of drawing the battle's first blood behind him.

The wound caused little pain for the lord and only served to motivate him further. He stood glaring as hundreds more of the swiftly moving appendages were shot in his direction. Leaping over several that had gone for his feet and twisting crookedly to avoid being impaled in his upper body, the lord failed to see the large growth speeding towards his shoulder. The sudden impact and tearing of flesh made the wild inu drop his sword and clench his elongated teeth in pain.

Naraku gave a coy smirk, seeing as he had injured the lord's sword wielding arm. Truly, it would only be a matter of minutes now before this ridiculous business was all over. What he hadn't counted on however, was the swift materialization of the young dog's infamous youkai energy whip. Even with the added speed of the jewel shards, there was no way the hanyou could have avoided the angry slashes that fell upon him.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes as he saw the rising purple cloud of poison gas being released from the half demon. _:: Punish! Kill! Took our mate! Ours:: _The hanyou's attempt at a defensive tactic failed sorely as the lord simply slashed through the quickly disappearing gasses.

Naraku knew well that he was in trouble. He had awoken the protective inu instincts that resided, hidden, inside the lord for so many years. Obviously he didn't have the skill to beat the lord, but then again he never expected to. Looking for some plan escape or diversion in his usual cowardly manner, Naraku spied his female standing at the entrance to his castle. A twisted smile formed on his thin lips as a plan quickly formed in his mind. Despite the howling protests of his blood beast, the spider decided to play upon the weakness of the dog prince.

As Sesshomaru locked his feral eyes upon the hanyou, he saw the small smirk of victory cross his features. Not knowing what to expect, a true sense of fear shot through him at the hanyou's next action. His blood colored orbs took in the powerful attack before it was launched, not in his direction, but in the direction of his Kagome. Not needing a moment to think over his actions, the lord used his demon speed to place himself between the oncoming power and his intended without hesitation. It seemed as if all time stood still as the prone form of Sesshomaru was blasted of his feet by the glowing purple mass of dark power.

The sparkling blue eyes of Kagome watched as the great inu lord of the western lands fell to the ground. Looking him over, she very well decided this was the worst she had ever seen him. Always looking so pristine and regal, like a hawk with such indifference in his deep golden gaze, it seemed almost unfeasible to the girl that this could be the same Sesshomaru. His self blooded eyes were squinted in what she would have to guess was resistance to the severe pain he felt while his fanged mouth hung open, a think line of blood steadily oozing from its corner. His well defined chest, facing the skies, was decorated with deep red gashes; he was as a canvas for such a hateful artist as the hanyou. Kagome could see his muscles twitching in pain and her eyes traced over the now tattered silk hakama pants he wore on his bruised and beaten legs. By far, his worst injury was the roughly torn hole in his right shoulder located dangerously close to his flushed neck. Even from where she stood, the white of bone and the pinkish tint of torn tendons could be seen through the small rivers of blood that flowed forth from him like a spring.

For Kagome, it was almost as if the earth stood still at that particular moment. The tears she had been shedding came back to her now with a renewed vigor and convulsive sobs of hysteria had the miko gasping for breath. Diverting her eyes toward the satanically demented spider half demon, her tears of sorrow instantly converted to tears of unimaginable rage. Like the two men, Kagome knew that Naraku would have stood no chance without the added power of the jewel shards. Against Inuyasha, he was evenly if not more skilled but Sesshomaru, having been a demon every year of his long immortal life, had pure warrior instincts that ran much deeper than any studied knowledge the hanyou could have had. On closer inspection, Kagome could even see the tiny crystal fragments glowing with evil energy under his sickeningly pale skin. With each of his movements, their power pulsed and increased; the black aura nearly knocking the pure Kagome off her feet.

Thinking it simply a reaction of her holy powers to the great evil the being exuded from the maniacal creature in front of her, Kagome tried to ignore the feeling of dizziness. As the feeling intensified, the miko realized that this was no side affect of an evil power, for the warm welcoming light was much too gracious in its sense of relaxation for such a thing. As the world began to fade from her view, Kagome knew that she was being brought into an illusion. Her experiences with such were limited to one, that being the first time she had met Sesshomaru. Filing through the memory of Inuyasha's elation at viewing his mother she shivered. The creature had almost stolen the soul of her half inu companion and the fear she felt at the memory was nearly as real as the fear she had felt at that time. It had been one of her first adventures in the era and would stay with her forever.

As the world of trickery cleared around her, she examined her surroundings. A crystal blue lake was by her side, its waters waving gently in the slight breeze that seemed to be carried throughout the area. A blazing sun shown overhead, beaming down upon the numerous flowers and blossoming trees that lined the banks of the lake. Nearly lulled into a sense of awe, Kagome was startled when another presence approached her. Spinning around on her heel she gazed upon a woman few had seen, but many knew. She wore the traditional red pants and white kimono top of a miko, almost identical to the garb of Kikyo, but unlike the dead priestess a feminine suit of armor was worn over her shoulders and torso. Black hair hung, framing her childishly rounded face while her bright brown gaze was locked on Kagome.

The futuristic miko could have been knocked over with a feather. This was the legendary miko Midoriko. It had to be. The girl recalled her first visit to the slayer village where they had traveled with Sango. On the rocky outskirts of the small town, there had been a deep cave, hollowed into the side of the cold rock. After finding a solution to the powerful barrier that had prevented their entry, the shard hunting group had traveled to the back of the cavern where they found an incredible monument to the celebrated priestess. Kagome remembered how eerily similar she had looked to the honorable stone woman and began to get the same disturbing sense as she looked at the apparition before her. She had imagined a meeting of this sort several times, but in none of her fantasies had she felt so at peace. It was almost as if a deep rooted spiritual connection between the two was subconsciously present.

The woman, who was indeed Midoriko, looked before her and smiled kindly. She had watched the girl for several years now and been proud of the way her reincarnation had flourished. Mentally scolding herself, the great priestess reminded herself that Kagome was not her reincarnation…at least not completely. It was true that they housed a portion of the same soul, but Kagome held a different power as well. Growing up as a miko, she had been taught to love and bless all humans and scorn the likes of demon; Kagome, however housed one of the world's truly pure hearts. It was obvious she cared for and accepted both mortal and immortal beings and that made the girl that much stronger than herself. In fact, it wasn't until after she took her leave from the tangible world she found love for creatures of demonic origin.

It was almost surprising to the elder woman to feel such great waves of power radiating from one so young, but only almost. It had always been obvious that the little girl held strong powers and never for a minute had she ever doubted that. It was the span of the power that baffled her. Perhaps, Kagome was what a true miko was intended to be. If she had been younger, there might have been a spark of jealousy toward the girl at how much more potential she held. At her age though, there was simply no point and the years had taught her better. Shifting slightly, she could feel their connection and wondered if the other jewel guardian could feel it as well.

Deciding against any introductions or formalities simply for times sake Midoriko began to speak. "I assume you know who I am Kagome, miko of the future. I shall also take the liberty of assuming that you question your reasons for being present in this dream like state. I have but a few moments here with you, for such excursions into the semi tangible world drain my energies very quickly, so I shall be brief. The shikon is a part of you Kagome. I know not what knowledge you hold of the shikon miko ancestral heritage and now is not the time to bore you with such however, the jewel is part of you."

Confused Kagome voiced one of her many questions, "How can it be a part of me Midoriko-sama? From what I know, it was simply housed inside my body." Looking at the more experienced and aged woman Kagome waited for an answer.

"Kagome, you may be of the guardian bloodline, but that does not and has never entitled you or any other to the shikon no tama. The jewel has always sought out those most worthy of its power and aided them in whatever quest befell them. Its magic recognizes your soul as its master, your purity calls to it. You cannot honestly believe that such a powerful object has no will of its own. The tama has always had at least some manner of say in its destiny, how could it not? Kagome, the material wordly form its power possess is of little importance. Its power shall forever be loyal to the call of its true master."

Baffled Kagome spoke once more, "But what does that mean?"

"It means, Kagome, that the power the jewel houses is not in the jewel itself but within the energy of the jewel. Its power has found you worthy, it will come to you. True, the tangible fragments that currently house its power will not physically come into your possession but the magic it contains will be returned to and housed within your being. It was united and fused with you from the time of your birth, rendering it an extended piece of your own powers."

Taking in the words of her supposed ancestor, Kagome blinked. There was simply too much to this that she didn't understand. How did Midoriko contact her in the first place? What about the four souls the jewel housed? If all this was true why didn't she tell her earlier? Determined to gain some answers, the girl voiced each one of her queries and waited for a response.

Midoriko sighed. She should have anticipated such skepticism and curiosity from the young woman. After all, she had already proven herself to be such a strong spirit. "As for how I contacted you in the first place young miko, all I may say to you is not to doubt the possibilities that can be enacted by the afterworld. In your travels you have come across spirits, I am sure, so I pray you to heed my advice and apply your material logic leniently. To answer your second question, the four souls you speak of do exist, but can only be held by the tama in its materialized form, not the sublimation of its raw powers. If the jewel is no longer home to the force of purity, then the barrier containing the souls will lift and they can move on to eternity."

The third question of the girl made Midoriko smile inwardly. Yes, she had watched the girl in front of her chocolate eyes through each day of her travels and read her every thought. Her strengthening feelings for the inu hanyou had haunted her own soul, for the heavens had foretold such a thing would not end well. Midoriko herself didn't know the girl's purpose until some time after her arrival in the feudal era, but had indeed surmised there would be one. She would have indeed interfered in this quest earlier, but there had been two things stopping her. The first was the growth she saw in the girl, how her understanding had healed so many along her way. Each day she had gained knowledge and proved wisdom beyond her years.

As for the other reason, it was quite simple, the western lord Sesshomaru. Sparks between the two had been visible since their first meeting and the events in the tomb of the former western lord. The inu lord was cold and lonely, gifted with great control but little heart. The miko was warm and wanting, blessed with much heart but little control. Two such beings, exact opposites as they were, were meant to balance each other. It was fated to be as such and had proven itself to be true. The lord gave the girl confidence while the girl bestowed upon the lord hope; a truly complete pairing.

"Kagome, your journey has taught you many things, has it not? A great deal of whom you are has been formed from what you have learned here. You have touched many young one, as a true miko should. Most importantly though Kagome, it is because the lord Sesshomaru that you are here. Would you rather have had me intervene and keep you from him?"

Taking in the words, Kagome's confused frown mellowed into a look of serenity. She understood. Perhaps the jewel had only brought her here, without having been the entire purpose for the journey. In fact, now that she thought about all the things she would have missed, especially life with Sesshomaru, she understood the reasoning of the apparition more than ever. "No Midoriko-sama, I would not. For him, I would go through each battle and heartache again. But what makes you think that the jewel won't just be ripped out of me again by another power hungry demon?"

"Kagome, you are missing the point of my words. I have spent much time meditating on the matter and have concluded that the power of the jewel can easily be called back to its former shelter. Let it unite with you; will it to become a part of you Kagome. It is not without loyalty, if you call it, it shall come to you." Looking at the girl, she reached down to gently brush her semi transparent fingers against the silver bracelet that was containing the girl's miko powers. In naught but an instant, the entire band disappeared leaving no trace of its existence whatsoever.

More questions were about to spill from the young woman, but her surroundings began to grow faint and blurred. She wanted to holler out her fears for the legendary woman to hear, but her lilted voice seemed permanently stuck in her delicate throat. As the world of illusion and beauty slipped further and further from her grasp, she heard the few parting words of Midoriko. "It is a part of you Kagome; all you have to do it reclaim it."

Reality came and flooded before her sapphire vision once more, hitting her quickly. Refocusing her eyes, she looked toward the scene before her. Naraku, looking no worse for the wear, was circling Sesshomaru who was sprawled on the ground in a pool of his own crimson fluid. It truly amazed her how, even in such a state, he could hold his face of complete indifference. Usually, it bothered her to no end when he acted in such manners, but on this day she was thankful for his enormous pride. Seeing the pain of his wounds painted across his royal face would have simply been too much for her to take in at the present time.

Her relief was short lived, for locking her gaze with his concentrated amber one she could see the true emotions he was hiding. In the past days, she had seen so much of the lord that the rest of the world would never see, the aspects of his being that made him in essence a living, breathing man. Her cluttered mind vaguely processed the jeers and taunts of Naraku as he closed in on the dog demon prince. Years of observing such battles gave her the instinctual knowledge that it wouldn't be much longer before the dark half spider demon went in for his fatal strike.

Pushing all other thoughts from her mind, Kagome concentrated only on the glowing jewels that were still visible to her under the hanyou's resealed skin. Not knowing exactly how to 'call to them' as the ancient miko from her vision had advised her to do, she simply gave a shaky mental plea. 'Please…please…just come to me…let this work….I need this to work…for Sesshomaru…' Moments passed and nothing happened. Kagome, nearly crying out in her utter despair and frustration, was dangerously close to a new set of tears when she saw the dark glow of the shards flicker within his body.

The dark purple light that signified their evil aura blinked slowly into a pure pink radiance as a strange feeling came over Kagome. It was as if her energy was being drained and restored all at the same time. She could clearly feel a force, unnamable as to her, flowing from her and passing towards and what seemed like through the tiny crystal fragments until it was returned to her holding tenfold of its original power. The odd sensation lasted only a few moments before cutting off completely, leaving Kagome's mind spinning.

Before her eyes swam visions of all the beings that had ever desired the power of the shikon no tama, be it for good or evil. The faces of human and demon alike flashed before her at a dizzying pace, becoming blurred together until it was all a band of intertwining colors, no features present.

As quickly as the visions started, it stopped and left the futuristic miko wobbling back and forth, desperately trying to keep her balance. It was a losing battle; her limp body dropped to the ground and upon contact shot out an enormous wave of purifying energy. The pink force rose like a wave coming to shore before crashing down and spreading itself across the area for miles. The last thing Kagome saw were the gentle eyes of Sesshomaru, looking at her from his place across the field.

Only steps away, Naraku froze where he stood. Immediately his taunting stopped as a feeling of dread came over him. The well of power that had been coming from the shikon fragments embedded in his pasty skin seemed to be instantaneously drained. Only moments before, the warm pulse of misguided holy magic had kept him rejuvenated and spry, but with its sudden dispersal even he was at a loss. Naraku knew the fragments were still present under his flesh, for he could feel the slight pinching as the jagged crystals minutely pierced his inner wrists.

The lack of energy was devastating to the hanyou. The past several years had gone by and he had never once been without the aid of at least one of the powerful jewel shards. Over the years he had easily forgotten how limiting it was for him to be running on his own unaided strength. A sudden searing pain in his lower left arm brought him back to his senses as he looked down. Before his own eyes, black blood spilled onto the soft lush green of the grass.

In an almost paranoid manner he twisted about frantically, looking wildly in every which way for the source of his injury. The whole thing seemingly came out of thin air, baffling the half spider more than most anything else ever had. Always having considered himself a man of logic, Naraku tried to sort out some sort of reasoning in his head. It took only seconds before the half breed paled and let out a strangled yelp of despair. Something had gone wrong with the power he had been absorbing from the shards; it was no longer there.

His ruby red eyes darted back and forth hurriedly as more and more wounds began to appear on his now haggard body. The only explanation that he could come up with was that all the wounds the tama had previously healed for him were reopening themselves, but why would that happen? How in the name of all the gods could so much power be sucked away so suddenly? His whole being was wracked with painful spasms as the wounds of years and years formed over his body, weaving themselves into a sort of twisted pattern. Forcing his eyes open he took one last glance around the open grounds of the court yard. Nothing struck his pain filled mind as out of the ordinary until he caught sight of the miko he had vowed to mate limp and sprawled across the grass.

The wench had something to do with this, she had to. Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately depending upon ones perspective, the half spider demon Naraku would never know for sure. The last memory of the living world that would forever be emblazoned in his hell bound mind was a large wall of pink light moving swiftly in his direction before all went black.

Earlier, Sesshomaru had lain on the ground, clenching and gritting his fanged teeth in determination. The taunts of the circling hanyou were audible but made little sense to his usually hypersensitive ears. Only moments before it had struck him that this was the end of his existence. His thoughts had been one huge whirl of questions and doubts, nearly driving him insane with their irrelevance. Gazing across the field he caught the eyes of the woman whom he loved and had hoped to take as his mate.

As his ruby gaze locked with hers, he watched her eyes slowly lose focus and close, almost as if she was not entirely present. All the while, the demon that had overtaken control of his normally collected personage was thrashing about on the ground wildly snarling curses and making vows of vengeance upon the spider hanyou. His rational side merely stilled, contemplating these last few seconds of his stay in this realm. Momentarily, he came to the conclusion that he would die a failure. If it was simply a matter of his own life, the knowledge of the miko's love would have been more than enough to aid him into a peaceful rest. However, his Kagome had been counting on him. Once again he had proven himself an unworthy mate. His thoughts would have continued, but the interference of his much more primal counterpart did not allow for such courtesies.

The other half of the western lord had been kicking and clawing wildly during the self pitying musing of his humanoid half. He was not only angry but confused; a deadly combination for any youkai. Why had they changed back to this wretched human form? Not having time or the mental capacity to fathom such a question, the beast turned back to its former occupation. _:: Up! Up! Get mate! Retrieve bitch:: _Claws dug into the bloodied crimson soil underneath his being as raspy howls of outrage and ancient inu oaths, spoken only in the illist of temperaments flew from his snapping jaws.

The blood pooled around him, nearly choking him from its rich coppery smell. There was only one thing on the lord's mind at the moment; he needed to save his mate. The wretched half breed was second priority now. Yes, his honor and ego would be taking huge blow seeing as he was being forced to retreat with his female, but it had to be done. It was that thought that had disturbed or more actually, startled the rational lord who was still imprisoned in his dank mental cage.

His youkai was willing to sacrifice its own pride for the girl? For others it may not have been or even made much of a difference, but for a dog demon it was different. A male held his own name and reputation above all, it just astounded him. A year earlier he would have refused to admit his defeat and thus brought and untimely end to both him and his female. Had he really changed that much? Had _she_ really changed him that much? Perhaps the young lord would have gotten his answer, but at that moment a warm sensation flowed over his body completely changing his train of thought.

Opening his eyes which had been shut tightly against the punishing light of the sun, his strained sight caught Kagome's descent to the ground while his ears could pick out the light thud of her small body as it came into contact with the moistened earth below her. He did indeed see the glowing pink wall of miko power his mate must have accidentally released for reasons presently unknown to him. Closing his eyes and forcing himself to still, he decided that death by the hand of his mate was much more acceptable than death by the hand of the vile hanyou.

The aforementioned preparations had been heroic, but unnecessary. The second the brilliant pink force washed over him he realized that he had been fortunate to receive the kinder of the two common miko powers. The energy had simply healed instead of purified him like he had been prepared for. For a short moment his less conscious mind questioned how the girl had distinguished between the two. Was it for his safety or was it simply coincidence?

Finally able to move his inner demon leaped to his feet, snarling a warning to any creature within five miles of the grounds he currently resided upon. It took only seconds for his blood strewn eyes to lock onto the body of the offending hanyou, which at that point was charred from its purification and halfway to hitting the ground. Once again his logical awareness questioned why he too had not been burnt to a crisp, but his inu insisted upon worrying over the matter later if it was necessary at all.

Before the corpse of the half spider demon had even hit the ground, Sesshomaru had traveled the several steps to the body and sliced it in half with his dangerously lengthened claws. It was not enough for the lord that the hanyou was dead, no, he needed to be decimated. _:: Rip. Tear. Punish:: _Nothing could have deterred the dog prince from his next action; nothing could have kept him from relishing in the dying pleas of the spider. All rationale completely foreign to him at the moment, driven only by the need for vengeance, Sesshomaru fumbled, unsheathing the healing fang of his father.

After years of deeming the artifact useless, it finally was to serve a purpose. A quick slash across the chest was all that was needed before the hanyou's soul began to return to his wretched body. Before the process was completely finished, Sesshomaru had leapt upon the barely aware Naraku, straddling his torso while pinning his arms and legs down with his own.

If the hanyou had thought his rejuvenation had been a blessing, he was sadly mistaken. His crimson orbs opened to the sight of an enraged demon lord hovering over him. The lord's face was a bit elongated, as if he was in mid transformation, while his eyes were such a dark red one could have easily mistaken them for pure black. Lethal claws were digging into the flesh of his shoulders while a snarling, fang bearing face hovered mere inches from his own.

Snapping his jaws, not bothering to contain the acidic saliva that was now dripping onto the face of the half demon under him, Sesshomaru looked his prey in the eye. _:: Kill! Punish! Hurt our mate! KILL:: _It took the lord a minute until he was truly able to form words, and even then his voice came in raspy, ragged intervals. "My mate! Female mine! Tell me! Now!"

All thoughts of defiance left the hanyou as he felt the demon's clawed hand plunge into his chest, angling between his now cracked ribs. It was as if the lord of the west had wrapped his clawed fingers around his intestines and was tugging them through the hole in his gut with a clenched fist. All Naraku could do was give a slight nod and lower his eyes in what he hoped liked like a submissive stance to his more powerful opponent.

The smell of the spider's vile black blood made the inu lord queasy but he held back the need to gag and instead snarled wildly. Seeing the small confirming nod of the male was enough for him to release a low howl of conquest, but it was not good enough. _:: Ours! Must hear it! Mine:: _Ripping his fist forward through all Naraku's internal tissues and organs he growled lowly, "Say it."

Opening his mouth for the last time Naraku felt blood spill forward through his lips and cascade down his squared chin. With his last breath he managed to gargle a choked, "Yours." As his once again lifeless form fell to the ground in a heap, a howl of victory was torn from the lungs of the victorious inu youkai. The sound was deep, raspy and low, perhaps the most chilling howl ever to come from a dog demon. It was one of the rare moments where Sesshomaru proved to be truly his father's son, for only such powerful beings can utter such a sound.

As the ending notes of his chilling song rang from him, the still quite feral Sesshomaru sprung towards his limp mate. Grasping her face tightly in both hands, paying no heed to the bloody claw prints being left behind from the contact, he dove his nose into her neck. Originally, his purpose had been to once again check his female for injuries, but the calming aroma of the girl seemed to capture him.

For a length of time unknown, he lay panting heavily while the relaxing essence of his bitch soothed him back into a state of rationality. Lifting his silver tresses once more, his deep eyes back to the original honeyed amber, Sesshomaru gracefully climbed to his feet. The battle had taken much out of him, but he was not ready to admit such a thing. Checking for any other presences, he let an audible sigh fall from his lips. Picking up his Kagome and summoning his youkai cloud, the inu set course back to the palace moon. They had much to discuss after Kagome awoke but first, some rest. Halfway elevated, a thought struck Sesshomaru that nearly had him toppling to the ground. He, the mighty Lord of the West, had been……scared.

Many Miles Away-

A certain inu hanyou froze in his work. For a moment he could have sworn he had heard a howl coming from afar. Shaking it off, he fixed his crimson eyes back on his work and gave a fanged smirk. Today he had finally been able to retrieve his parcel from the old hag. Soon, very soon, he would have his little bitch here beside him.

A/N: I'm not sure if that was lame or not, but either way…WOW...that took a lot out of me. Originally, I didn't have much of a fight in there but then well, I don't know what happened. Just one of those things I guess. Anyway, thanks again! Please review!


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Hello again! I don't know where you all are but here in PA there's a lot of snow. Well, mostly ice so we're all stuck indoors for a while. Anyway, that's the reason that I was able to get the last chapter out on time (perhaps it's a sign). Well, wherever you are I hope you enjoy the new update. The beginning of this chapter is a little slow, but trust me it picks up quite a bit near the middle. Once again, thank you for all of your comments and support. It truly does mean a lot to me.

WARNING: Once again I would like to give you all a fair warning that there is a good amount of lemon/lime content in this chapter. Just thought I'd give you a heads up.

With Sesshomaru and Kagome at the Palace Moon:

The world of awareness was lightly knocking on the door of a certain miko, as she tried pointedly to leave its call unanswered. The light filtering through her tightly shut eyes, a vision of pure vibrant pink was nagging at her senses and calling to her conscious mind. With an agitated huff, she opened her sapphire orbs, quickly regretting the decision as the blinding beams of the sun mad her wince in agony. After a few more moments of pulling at her self resolve, the young woman finally succeeded in cracking open her heavy lids. As she began to process things normally, the sudden realization hit her that there was a well toned clawed arm grasping her tightly around the waist.

Thinking that she was once again in the arms of the vile hanyou, Kagome attempted to pull away from the male only to feel the pressure surrounding her tightened to an almost unbearable extent. Just the thought of the half demon behind her was enough to make her break into small, shaking sobs. Her memories of the day before rushed back to her. The last thing she had seen before passing out from what she assumed was terror, had been a vision of Naraku towering over the lord of the west, readying himself for the finishing blow. At the memory of her Sesshomaru's death, her tears began to fall even more fervently. It was as if a dam of sorrow had burst inside her, leaving to simply cry herself to exhaustion.

Sesshomaru, who been sleeping lightly behind his beautiful female, was awakened by the shallow movements of the woman in his arms. Realizing how tight his hold on her was, he surmised that she must have tried to pull away from him for his subconscious mind seemed to have enforced its physical barrier. Not knowing the exact reason for his mate's distress, he was about to address her when he heard a strangled form of his name fall from her quivering lips. It struck him that she must be thinking him to be Naraku, which drew an unmeasured growl from within his chest, his inner inu not liking to be compared to the other male in the least.

As she cringed away from him he realized that he must have scared her, making him wonder of all that had occurred during her stay with the hanyou. Shaking his silver head, he leaned closer to her, making sure his hot breath tickled her ear gently. "Koi, hush. It is only this Sesshomaru. Calm yourself mate." His words were followed by the gentle licking of her cheek and a suckling of the tender flesh of her ear.

As the voice rang through her mind, Kagome was quick to identify the speaker resting behind her. Flinging her form around in relief, she borrowed her face into the bare chest of her companion. Subconsciously she realized that she was clad only in his kimono top; he must have changed her when he brought her from the battleground. Her hands clinging to him tightly, she let what were now tears of relief fall from her sparkling eyes.

Never having been one to comfort a female before, he tried to remember what he had seen his father do for his mother. Sitting up slowly he drew the girl into his lap and wrapped his arms around her torso before resting his chin on top of her raven locks. A deep, relaxing purr shot deep from his throat. He was quick to realize that the purring wasn't his doing, but his beast's contribution to the effort. He stayed like that for many minutes until his female finally quieted and her breathing returned to its normal pace.

Kagome, who had finally managed to gain control of herself with the help of Sesshomaru, let her tussled head drop lightly upon his firmly muscled chest. With a sigh she shut her and resolved to get a little more rest before swift knocking on the door ended any further planning. The vibrations of a low growl tickled her spine, showing Sesshomaru's obvious displeasure at the disturbance.

Ready to kill anybody that disturbed his mate's peace without just cause, the lord of the west growled out a low "Enter." As the door cracked open, the half crazy rantings of a certain toad gumi filled his pointed ears. The little servant had been a little more off than usual since the incident of his lord's brief department from the earthly world. In fact, the old demon had seemed to loose most of his remaining sense the day before when he had faced the wrath of an enraged Sesshomaru. Poor Jaken had taken to talking to himself in far outplayed tones during the moments he surmised himself to be alone and had even picked up a very noticeable twitch.

None of this mattered to the lord however. Even as his demonic hearing caught wisps of a spirited self intoned speech, seeming oddly enough to be delivered rather passionately, of how he would make a wonderful singing minstrel despite what others had told him in their blind jealousy, Sesshomaru was quickly losing his patience. Straightening himself a bit, he was about to demand a valid reason for the intrusion or simply get up and chuck said toad a few hundred feet out the conveniently open window, when he noticed the large covered silver tray that was being carried in.

His loyal retainer broke from his one sided conversation only long enough to announce, "This lowly Jaken has brought breakfast for mi'lord Sesshomaru-sama and his respected mate." A curt nod was his only response; having served under Sesshomaru long enough to know that was his queue to leave, Jaken waddled back towards the large, arched doorway. The last words Sesshomaru caught from the toad were something to the summation of, "Oh dear…I must learn to strum a harp…" before he gave a very noticeable twitch and closed the door behind him. Truly, he would have to look into releasing the toad from his service; as little as he cared, he couldn't have the insanity rubbing off on his other servants. 'That's all this Sesshomaru needs, a castle full of the psychotically indentured.'

Kagome, who had been oblivious to the distress of the toad servant, Jaken, had had about all the waiting she could stand. Just as she was about to uncover the platter herself, Sesshomaru lifted the lid with a regally clawed hand to reveal a feast. A rather large bowl of steaming rice was positioned next to a pitcher of iced water and two metal drinking glasses. There were several different types of fruit, some of which Kagome knew not, piled on a fragile looking serving plate next to a large portion of porridge.

Sesshomaru nearly let out a chuckle at the eager look on his female's face before propping her between his lengthy legs and sitting the tray above their laps. Taking hold of the pair of decorated chopsticks that had been laid out, Sesshomaru scooped up a small portion of rice and held it to Kagome's lips. "Eat Koi." As she opened her mouth for the protest he knew was coming, he shoveled the helping of sustenance into her parted mouth.

After a very angry bit of chewing and swallowing, Kagome turned her head so that she could look at Sesshomaru, who had already brought rice to his own lips. "Hey! I'm perfectly capable of feeding myself you know. I'm a big girl Sesshomaru. I-" She was however once again cut off as another serving of rice was crammed into her mouth, followed by the slightly agitated voice of Sesshomaru.

"This Sesshomaru is quite aware of that, mate. However, I wish to feed you. Will you deny me this?" He smirked to himself as Kagome finally nodded and conceded to his wishes. Normally, this type of insolence would have bothered him, but this was his Kagome. It was simply a part of her. After a few minutes of eating in silence Sesshomaru decided to get some answers to the questions he had been most diligently pondering. "Kagome, this Sesshomaru would like to know how you came into the vile hanyou's hands in the first place."

He could feel her tense slightly and smelled the escalating fear and anxiety in her usually blissful scent. Setting the half empty tray down on the cold stone floor, he listened to her quiet response. "He…he…l-looked like...y-you." More confused than ever, but quite unwilling to admit it, he gave her a look demanding more of an explanation. "I had come back up here after you left, wanting some time alone. O-only a short time later you…or, uh, Naraku…showed up on the balcony behind be." Small trails of tears became visible across her flushed cheeks as the scent of salt filled his keen nose. "I r-remember him k-kissing me and then…I…I don't know…"

He could tell the memory was causing her pain. Deciding it would be best to simply hold her for a few minutes he began to run his clawed hand through her mass of midnight black tresses. Since Kagome wasn't a demon, it wasn't hard to see how she would fall for such a trick, for he knew of many such potions and brews available for such a thing. The sting of the situation was that it was his very own form that was used to deceive her. On one hand, he was greatly pleased that she had placed enough trust in him to simply come to him when he appeared, but on the other it unnerved him how easily such a thing could be done again. Of course, not by Naraku, who had left to simply marinate in his own blood but by another of his enemies. He made a mental note to put some strong wards around their chamber rooms; he needed to satisfy his own mind that no unwanted visitors would be making an entrance.

Kagome was quite a bit rattled at the memory and hid her face in his chest. She knew Sesshomaru was the type of demon that needed answers, but it was still a bit hard for her to think about. During her stay at the run down mansion home, or very obsolete castle, she wasn't sure which; she had put up a brave front for herself. Even through her tears she had held herself together more than she might have. Now, however, all the stress that had mounted seemed to have been released upon her in a giant wave of emotion. Taking a deep breath, she listened to the next question of her lord, or more of a statement really. "Tell this Sesshomaru how you are feeling, Koi. Are you hurt?"

Sesshomaru watched carefully as she shook her head. He knew very well that the half breed had left several dark bruises and shallow scrapes upon her, but he decided against pressing her about it. Instead, he decided to ask the question that had been gnawing away at his insides for the past hours. "What happened before I was able to come to you Kagome? Do not spare this Sesshomaru the details."

Knowing that she would have to address the matter sometime, she decided she would rather it be sooner than later. Trying frantically to collect herself she was careful with the words of her response. "Well, I remember waking up in some strange room. The next morning when we talked some and he gave me that…that disgusting kimono to wear."

He growled as he recalled the image of her in the garb. It angered him to no end that another male had seen that much of his beautiful Kagome's body. Once they had arrived back at the palace moon, he had removed it from her and placed his own kimono top around her shivering form. He listened intently as she picked up her story. "The two of us – Naraku and I – had a bit of dinner. Actually, it was more like he had dinner. H-he said he wished to know everything there was to know about m-me. I didn't really say much," she paused she leaned back against Sesshomaru who promptly proper his masculine chin atop her silky head.

"We talked a little afterwards, but mostly just went to bed. Oh, Sesshomaru…" she began to cry with renewed vigor at the memory. "He wrapped his arms around m-me and w-wouldn't let g-go. I'm s-sorry." Almost certain he was about to strike her, she curled her body away from him in the manner of a scared dog cringing from a violent master.

Unwilling to let her separate herself from him, he quickly used his superior strength to bring her back against his body as he tried to calm her. "Hush mate. This Sesshomaru blames you not." Rubbing small circles on her lower back, he listened as she tearfully recounted the rest of the events that had taken place before his arrival. His inu was in a frenzy at the images she provided for him, but he managed to restrain himself from any visible anger, if only for her sake.

After she had finished her tale, Kagome sighed deeply, glad that she had told him. Thankful that he seemed to understand her wish not to relive the hours that she spent with the half spider demon, she decided to ask him a question of her own. "Sesshomaru," she said as she sat up slightly and gazed into his deep amber eyes, "What happened after I blacked out? H-how did you…"

He already knew what she wished to be informed of and held up his hand to stop her fumbling question. There were times when she spoke so eloquently, and yet there were moments like these where he was surprised she could coherently string together sentences. "All this Sesshomaru knows Koi, is that the energy you gave off was enough to heal my person. Why it did not have the same affect it had on the hanyou, this Sesshomaru does not know. Perhaps your miko energy was aware of our ties, but after that it was ended quickly." Knowing her response to his more primal actions would not be pleasant, he saw fit to exclude them. He saw no reason to distress her further.

Nodding as she stored the information to dwell on later, Kagome lifted herself from the arms of her future lover and began to climb from the large western style futon. Just as she began to separate herself from him, she was pulled back, toppling once more to the mattress in an undignified heap. Turning she gave him a mock glare followed by a quizzical look, to which he responded with a deep throated chuckle. "We will be staying within these chambers today. You need your rest mate."

Kagome sighed and went slack in his arms, sometimes he was so difficult. Well, actually he was difficult almost all of time. Smiling at her own thoughts, she felt Sesshomaru behind her. Suddenly the little priestess felt dirt, knowing that the hands of Naraku had been in the place of the lord's only hours before. "Sesshomaru?"

"Hm," was his subdued response.

"Can I at least take a bath? I feel…dirty…" Her last words were only barely distinguishable to even his demonic ears, and he frowned. Of course she would want a bath, she had always been a clean human, it was the cause of the bath that bothered him. He had already known Naraku had laid his filthy hands on his female, but it never occurred to him that she would feel 'dirty' as she put it. A slight growl came from him at the knowledge of his mate's discomfort, it simply didn't sit well with him.

"Koi, do not feel marred by his touch. This Sesshomaru shall not let anyone lay so much as a hand on your person from now on. You will be protected little mate." Gazing into her eyes, he still saw the worry and conceded to visiting the small washroom that connected to his chambers. It was nowhere near as glamorous as the hot springs that could be found on the lower level of the castle, but it would suffice. The large tine tub was always to be filled with steaming water, for his personal use, not that that occurred very often.

Finding his own feet and then picking her up gently, he carried her to the small space. All was as he remembered it, very sparsely decorated and quaint. Placing her down gently, he eyed the steam that was rising from the tin bath in thick billowing clouds. It was near to overflowing already and would most certainly spill over with both of their added weights. But of course, that was what servants were for. Not thinking it unusual for him to bathe himself with his mate, Sesshomaru quickly shed his hakamas, leaving himself stark naked before the wide eyes of a surprised miko.

She had glanced about for naught but a minute and yet, the second she turned around she was open to the view of a completely bare demon lord. Blushing to the roots of her hair, Kagome managed to stutter out, "W-what are y-you d-doing?" Gripping his white kimono top more firmly around her, she turned her eyes away from the sight before her.

Sesshomaru mentally smacked himself, he had not thought of his exposure. It was true she had seen and even felt him before, but that was before her escapades with the half breed spider. His sensitive nose picked up the scent of her increasing nervousness and he began a gentle purring to calm her. "Mate, this Sesshomaru will not hurt you. Come to me." At first the look he had seen flash across her redirected eyes had made him almost certain that she would not come to him. However, after several minutes she took several shaky steps until she was before him. Smiling at her, he lifted his clawed hands and gently slipped away the silken material. Knowing that it would only make her more anxious if he was to observe her very feminine form, he restrained himself. Picking her up once more, he sat himself in the tub with the miko on his lap, before rotating them both into a reclining position.

Kagome, unconsciously trying to get situated comfortable shivered and wiggled around for a few brief moments before she felt all too familiar teeth nip at her ear. "Mate, I would not suggest doing such things unless you wish for this Sesshomaru to take you right here." Blushing, she shook her head and stilled herself before several naughty thoughts entered her usually innocent head.

Kagome could have smacked herself. During all of her eighteen years of life she had never considered herself a pervert, so now was a most inconvenient time for her to transform into a lecher. Maybe spending all that time with a sexually deprived monk had rubbed off on her after all. Of course, there was a fairly large portion of her conscious mind screaming how wrong this was. It was that part of her that held her back a bit. Was she a whore? 'I mean until a week ago I was completely innocent to all of this. Now I'm sitting here thinking how I'd…oh Kami, I'm turning into a slut!'

Hadn't she just gone through this kind of thing with Naraku? Hadn't she felt disgusted and dirty? And now she wanted more? 'That has to qualify as perverted!' But…but…this was different, this was Sesshomaru, the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with. She wanted to be with him. Didn't she have a right to think such things? Wasn't it a normal part of any relationship? Yes, yes it was! It wasn't like she was having casual sex with every guy that came along like her friends back in the future!

This was different. It was okay to want this….she hoped. Having come to such a conclusion, she leaned back, molding her back to the contours of the lord's muscled chest. Closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling of her future lover grinding his erect package firmly into her soft backside, Kagome let out a small gasp. Her mind ran rampant with images she had conjured the two of them pleasuring one another.

_She saw herself taking his large, clawed hands in hers and pressing their palms together before entwining his large, calloused, clawed fingers with her softer more delicate ones. Leaning in to kiss his tempting lips she would pause and gaze into his amber eyes. There she would see all of the love and devotion that she was certain was mirrored in her own eyes. Lips meeting, he would gently push her backwards, never once breaking the kiss, so that they would tumble onto his soft futon._

_He would prop himself up on his forearms and gaze down at her form that would be trapped under his own. Whispering words of love he would slowly undress hr, somehow managing the task without lifting her in the least. He would then stand and slowly undress himself as her eyes roved over his toned body, taking in every inch of the pale skin that she longed to feel against her own._

_Crawling back on top of her, trapping her under him, he would kiss her once more, putting into that gesture all the passion he felt at the sight of her. His mouth would travel slowly from her own oral cavity down her exposed throat and across the hardened rosy buds of her exposed nipples. Making his was down her body, he would slowly draw patterns over her sensitive stomach with his long dog like tongue. Moving down even further he would lovingly kiss the apex of each of her thighs before returning to her mouth and smiling at her._

_His fangs would glint in the moonlight as he whispered words of remorse and apology for the pain that he was about to cause her. Spreading her thighs gently he would position himself between them and rest his forehead against hers, making his finally apology before thrusting into her pliant young body. His lips would cover her own to swallowing her screams and howls of pain as he stilled himself. After a few moments he would begin their age old dance…_

As these thoughts played out in the head of the futuristic miko, the lord of the west was having more of a difficult time restraining himself. His demon was still very aware and near the surface of his being from the entire goings on of the prior day, making things even harder for him. It was several moments before he was aware that his own traitorous body had begun to push itself against the soft backside of his female. It irked him to no end, knowing how much control his little vixen had over his normally quite unresponsive body. A low growl was torn from his chest.

He had of course had other females before but none had stirred such a reaction within him. His first thought was that it had something to do wit the months of celibacy he had endured once he had made the final decision to take little Kagome as his mate, but a second part of him knew that wasn't true. It was simply the girl herself, for which he was glad. The prospect of being with only one female used to bother him greatly, but since his first meeting with the miko he had completely understood it.

Squeezing his eyes shut and leaning back into the side of the bath, he began panting. The feeling shooting through his loins was so intense he nearly howled in pleasure. Not being able to even imagine, much less fathom, what it feel like to be inside of his fertile body he too let his drift to the world of fantasies. Of course, his were much less romantic and far more primal.

_Roughly carrying her to their chambers, he would momentarily steady her on her won feet before closing and locking the great entrance doors to avoid any unwanted disturbances. Spinning around on his leather booted heel he would slam her against the cold stone wall of his castle, making sure not to hurt his fragile little mate too badly, and hoist her legs up. As she wrapped them tightly around his trim waist he would claim her mouth as his own. Clearly letting his female know that she was his undisputed territory. _

_As she willingly, even eagerly, opened her mouth to him he would be sure to massage every inch of her own pink cavern with his canine like muscle. He envisioned her own tongue tangling with his longer, rougher one before he clearly showed her his reigning dominance. Wrapping one clawed hand tightly around her waist and placing the other upon the back of her neck, he would carry to his futon and toss onto the soft surface. Looking down at her, he would see the adoration and submission reflected in her eyes as she whimpered to him. _

_The sound would be simply musical to his sensitive demonic ears and he would voice his pleasure to her in a deep growl. Reaching for her once more he would lift her to the floor and command her to undress as he laid back upon the pillows to enjoy the show his mate was to provide for him. His own hand would swiftly undo the knot in his hakamas, reaching under the silken fabric to stroke his aching length as she seductively disrobed for him. When she was fully undressed he would stand and claw away the final shreds of his garb before kissing her harshly once again._

_Laying back on the futon once more he would order her to show her appreciation for his body. He imagined her large, luscious lips and tiny pink tongue laving across his throat in an affectionate plea. She would lick and suckle his small male nipples, occasionally biting at them before tracing the defined muscles of his stomach with her tongue. Going lower she would place small kisses on the head of his erect cock, whimpering to show him her gratitude. As her tiny hand wrapped around his shaft to stroke him he would bark his pleasure at her._

_When he was able to stand no more of her treatment he would sit up and force her to her hands and knees before taking his rightful position as her male behind her. Placing his elongated fangs on the back of her neck he whisper words of appreciation and undying devotion to her before thrust into her tight, wet sheath…_

A growl of displeasure tore through his throat as his dreams were abruptly cut off as his female rose and wrapped herself in a fluffy, white drying towel before exiting the spring. Leaping up and grabbing a towel of his own, Sesshomaru followed his bitch to their chambers, planning on voicing his displeasure.

Kagome, in the meantime, had come to a decision that caused her to cut their little bath time a bit short. Although she loathed the memory of Naraku's touch she couldn't help but recall his numerous sounds of pleasurable enjoyment as he thrust into her throat. Moments earlier she had come to the conclusion that she loved Sesshomaru…and that…and that she wanted to give him that. She wanted for him to feel that pleasure. Maybe she wouldn't be any good at it, but she'd never know until she tried. Turning to see his already pink tinted eyes glaring at her in frustration she walked up to him and locked her sapphire orbs to normally amber ones. "I-I…I w-want to give you something. L-lay d-down on the futon, p-please," she stuttered, feeling foolish already.

Sesshomaru knew not what his bitch was up to, but decided to humor her and slowly walked to their futon, which had obviously been made by a servant during their brief absence. Lying down, towel still wrapped around his waist, he propped his head up and gazed at his nervous mate, wondering what she was up to.

Kagome gulped, trying to swallow the large lump that seemed to have found its way into her throat. He truly did look like some type of god laying there among the silk and satin fabrics. She truly did want to give him this, for she knew that their lack of physical intimacy thus far hurt him in ways he was not willing to admit even to himself. Trying to reassure herself that her morals were indeed intact, she kept mentally repeating how this was a normal part of being a couple and that she'd have to get over it sometime.

Taking one last deep breath, the little miko walked steadily to the futon where Sesshomaru was currently lying and sat herself beside him in a kneeling position. Gingerly, she lifted the fluffy white fabric of the towel from his waist with a little help from the lord and let it drop to the stone floor unheeded. Before her eyes, she could see the erection of the western lord standing proud. Now that she actually had a chance to look at it, she was filled with a sense of female awe known to all virgins. The shaft was long and thick, so thick she recalled not being able to wrap her hand fully around it. Although she didn't have much else to compare it to, she knew he was exceptionally large. A less forward part of her mind wondered if it had something to do with his inu heritage or maybe even just the fact he was a demon.

Her sharp eyes noted the pulsing veins that could be seen running up the shaft to the mushroom like tip. A small portion of a liquid she could not name seeped from the tiny opening as her eyes traveled back downwards. Silver wisps of curly hair surrounded its base and were spread increasingly sparsely up his well formed abdomen. Underneath two fair sized orbs were enclosed in the sensitive flesh of his sac. All in all, she was quite overwhelmed at the sight.

Overwhelmed, however, didn't begin to describe the emotion Sesshomaru was feeling. His sweet little Kagome had transformed into an eager vixen, uncovering his throbbing manhood. He was quite certain his thoughts would have continued if it weren't for the pleasant intrusion of her soft hand against his pulsing flesh. Demon rising to the surface, he could feel the smooth skin of her small palm lightly rubbing him. Instinctively buck his hips in search of relief, he caught her eye. All her actions had already surprised him; her next move nearly flat out floored him.

Taking a deep, calming breath, Kagome wiggled herself between his muscular legs and leaned down, teasing his tip with her hot breath. The frustrated growl coming from above her quickly convinced the priestess that it was time to go a bit further. Wrapping her left hand around the base and lightly massaging his sac with her right, she gave the head a fuller lick. Soon she found herself licking him much like she would a lollipop, enjoying the snarls and grunts of pleasure that he emitted.

His little bitch was going to cause him to lose his mind, it was that simple. Letting her know he needed more thorough relief from the pleasurable ache, he shoved himself toward her. Although not immediate her reaction was quick and she leaned forward and took his knob into her mouth, gently suckling. The hand that gripped him around the base began to move slowly, creating a quite pleasurable friction. Several minutes past before he felt her slip the first several inches of his flesh into her mouth and begin to move up and down. Lifting his head, he nearly spilled himself at the sight of her raven tresses bobbing between his wide spread legs.

Hoping she was doing alright and gaining a fair amount of encouragement from the noises he was making, Kagome tried taking him deeper. At first he gag reflex seemed it prevent it but after several attempts he slid deep into her throat. Suddenly she felt large hands entangle themselves in her black hair and forcefully push her down while his lean hips pistoned forward. At first she though to protest, but realized that she couldn't get a word in even if she wanted to. Deciding instead to relax and breath through her nose as best she could, Kagome reminded herself of how good this must feel for him.

Having lost all control several minutes ago, Sesshomaru was now indulging himself in the sensations of his female's throat around his erect organ. Knowing that he would spill himself soon, he pushed his bitch's head down as far as it would go; the feeling of her mouth widening a bit to accommodate his large canine knot was enough to set him off. Feeling the first stream of his sticky seed hit the back of her throat he let out a wild howl.

Kagome had known he was close for she had felt the reflexive tightening of his sac as she cupped him. The second the lord's cum hit rushed into her mouth, she was glad she had gone through with the whole thing. Deciding to swallow for fear of offending him, she slowly rose when she was sure he had been fully spent.

Looking up at the female that had drained him so intensely, he could feel his demon receding. A rare smile graced his lips, although it seemed they were becoming increasingly more common with his little one around. Pulling her up to his side, he wrapped his powerful arms around her and kissed her lightly. "Thank you, Koi. You did not have to do that for this Sesshomaru."

Kagome smiled and looked up at his deep amber eyes. "I know, but I wanted to."

Thinking now would be as good a time as any to bring up the subject, Sesshomaru began to speak. "Mate, we need to begin preparations for our mating ceremony, for this Sesshomaru wishes it to be conducted as soon as possible." Looking at her blank face, he realized that she most likely didn't even know what events took place at a mating ceremony. "Forgive this Sesshomaru, Koi. It was inappropriate to simply assume you had knowledge of such events." Seeing her small nod and interested gaze, he continued. "All of the cardinal lords, even the lesser lords and princes must go through the process of a mating ceremony. The event is mainly to show and enforce that you will belong to this Sesshomaru."

Grimacing at the implications of being ownable, Kagome was about to retort when his strong baritone voice continued. "Normally, it consists of a feast, a traditional ball in the style of the appropriate land and mating vows. Now, our ball will of course be in the ancient styles of the western lands and this Sesshomaru has also instructed that the meal consist only of western dishes. Unfortunately, one must invite all lords without exception, so this Sesshomaru's protest have no influence over the guest list."

Nodding Kagome tried to look calm about the whole idea, while her mind was frantically trying to come up with an excuse to get out of it. During those same moments Sesshomaru was pondering on whether he should ask her to wear him mother's mating kimono. It was something he very much wished for, but he was uncertain if she would be insulted, like so many demonesses would have been, by wearing an already used garment. Looking at Kagome he could have laughed at himself, his little miko was not at all like other females. Making up his mind to ask, he pictured the pristine white garment in his mind. It had been spun of the finest silk and fell fittingly just above the knees. While form fitting, its long bell sleeves kept its modesty intact. It was simply white, except for a small blue inu crescent sewn over where the heart of the female would be. Picturing her in it, created a feeling within him that only she could bring.

At the sound of his voice, Kagome snapped back into reality. "Koi, it would please this Sesshomaru greatly if you would consider wearing mother's mating kimono. I of course plan to wear the garb of my father…" He trailed off, trying to search her eyes for an answer. Even if he wouldn't admit it aloud, this was something that meant very much to him. His mother had always been very near his heart and he had long ago resolved to mate a female that would make her proud. Kagome was indeed that female.

Smiling Kagome nodded her head, "I'd love to Sesshomaru." As soon as the words spilled from her lips, a large cat-like yawn followed. Glancing up at Sesshomaru's smirking face, she smiled herself. Snuggling into his side and drawing the covers over their bodies she kissed him gently.

"Let us rest mate." Pulling her even closer to his larger body, he thanked the gods once more for the little woman in his arms. Inuyasha was truly a fool to have let her slip through his fingers, but it mattered not now for there was no way he would ever let her leave him. Closing his own amber eyes, he was soon taken by sleep as well.

Several Hours Later:

Once again awakening in the arms of the western lord, Kagome opened her sapphire eyes and gazed at the rough, stone walls of the chamber. It was odd, life. A few months ago she would have sworn up and down left and right that she was in love with the half dog demon, Inuyasha, and now here she was with his brother. It bothered her in a way, made her feel as if she was betraying her hanyou companion, but some part of her knew she wasn't. It was that same part of her that had always known she would never end up with Inuyasha, could never make him happy.

Looking back on her feelings she now realized that the inu hanyou had been more of a school girl crush than anything else. Gazing at the magenta streaked arm wrapped tightly around her thin waist she smiled. This was real, this was right. She knew she would never be a copy of anyone to Sesshomaru, he would always she her as his Kagome. It was honestly what she had always wanted, a man that could love her for being her. Granted Sesshomaru didn't exactly have the personality of a fairytale prince and he was a little more controlling than she would have liked, but he did sweep her off her feet. Yet all this left her with the question, 'Why do I feel so guilty?'

Her mind quickly paged through memory after memory she had of being with Inuyasha. Even after his attempt at raping her, she felt for him. All the times he had called her wench, all the times she had sat him and even the painful times he had left her for Kikyo. It used to make her angry, but now that she had a love of her own she understood. Albeit, Inuyasha never really fully admitted to loving the dead miko but it seemed inevitable to her. If only she had known how wrong she was.

Sesshomaru was broken from his sleep induced coma as the smell of his mate's remorse wafted to his sensitive nose. Never liking to see his female wearing anything other than a smile, he tightened his grip on her and kissed the top of her head. Deciding he wasn't in the mood to play the guessing game with himself, he asked her. "Mate, what troubles you? Tell this Sesshomaru."

Not really thinking of the consequences of her words she spoke, "I was just thinking about Inuyasha." Immediately she heard a snarl burst from demon lord holding her. What was it with him and Inuyasha? She sighed not knowing the full force of what she had just brought about.

Barely able to keep himself from striking her, the dog prince harshly nipped at the soft flesh of her exposed neck. Why didn't she understand? He was her male, not the hanyou. Pushing his demon back with a bit of effort he managed to bite out, "You dare to think of another in the bed you share with this Sesshomaru? Tell me bitch, what does the worthless half breed mean to you?"

Affronted by his words Kagome was quick to spit back, "Don't call him that! He's not worthless, in fact he's worth a whole lot!" She felt herself being swiftly turned around and soon found herself pinned under the man who had only moments ago been so gentle with her. Her arms were already aching as he held them above her body, his razor sharp claws pricking her soft skin.

Perhaps it was from the excitement of the previous day or the activities of the afternoon, but Sesshomaru was having a bit more trouble controlling his inu than he usually did. Feeling his fangs elongate and his eyes bleed over to a light crimson, he snapped his jaws at her in warning. "So you admit to feeling for the pathetic hanyou? Perhaps this Sesshomaru should rid the world of his presence right now."

Startled at the ferocity behind his words, Kagome faltered for a moment. She didn't know what to say to him. Of course she felt for Inuyasha, but like a sister feels for a brother. Deciding honesty might not be the best policy in this case, for fear of misunderstanding, Kagome simply kept silent and lowered her eyes.

A mighty roar came from the youkai lord as he jerked her chin up so his female would be looking at him. _:: Punish! Our bitch! Our claim! Mine:: _"Bitch," he spat, "this Sesshomaru has half a mind to lock you away until all such thoughts over males are gone from your mind. This Sesshomaru could give you things these false suitors haven't even dreamed of, yet you deny me. Why? Does this Sesshomaru not meet your standards? It matters not now, you are MINE, you will always be MINE and you will forever remain MINE! What do you desire that you have not been granted you difficult bitch? You have this Sesshomaru's eternal loyalty, faithfulness and even affection! Is it not enough for you? Is this Sesshomaru not enough for you?"

Ill tempered in her own right, Kagome was quick to fire back a biting retort. "Me? You think this about me? Do you even understand how much I've given up for of Sesshomaru lord of the jackasses? No, this is about YOU! Kami, you're as jealous as Inuyasha…even worse!" Picturing her grandfather and little brother, she added, "There will always be other men in my life, you need to learn to live with it!"

As if her little speech hadn't been enough to anger the inu lord, her last remark caused him to roar his displeasure. Taking her words to mean that she wished for other lovers and suitors as well as himself, he snapped his fangs at her. _:: Ours! Mine! Only mine:: _"Bitch," he rasped in a throaty voice, "You make have taken our intimate interactions this afternoon lightly, but this Sesshomaru did not! Mine, you are MINE! There shall be no other lover for you, pet. You will be this Sesshomaru's one and only, and this Sesshomaru WILL be yours!" Leaning down he nipped at her cheek before staring straight into her outraged eyes. "You have already given yourself to this Sesshomaru, and I tell you know mate, this Sesshomaru will never give you back."

Hearing his angry words, slowly helped to drain the anger from the miko's system, but it was to be replaced only with sorrow. Sesshomaru didn't trust her. He acted as if she was some prize winning pet that he could display or just another precious piece of property. Looking away she tearfully whispered, "Is that all I am to you? Just something to own, Sesshomaru? Is that what you see when you look at me?" Her next question wasn't sparked from an actual desire for approval, but the desire to know that he loved her enough to let her go if that would make her happy. "I-if I w-wanted to leave, would y-you let m-me?"

Taking her question to signify her rejection of him, Sesshomaru panicked, only to proceed to a state of indescribable rage. Letting his hand fly, a stinging crack could be heard around the chamber as he brought his open palm into contact with her face. Looking down at her, he could see the tears flowing freely down her milky cheeks, leaving visible paths of sorrow. Blood, thick and hot, seeped from the corner of her busted lip, while another thing trail of crimson liquid dripped from her nose.

Shooting up and throwing her roughly over his hard shoulder, making sure to knock the wind out of her tiny body, he used his demonic speed to travel to the eastern wing of the palace moon. Opening a grand door at the end of a corridor, she tossed his bitch on the ground and stared down at her. Having brought her to the room his own mother spent most of her time in, he snarled. "Female, you will learn to respect this Sesshomaru. You will not be leaving this room until all thoughts of others are gone. This Sesshomaru will come for you in a night's time to see if you have learned anything."

Slamming the door and clicking the lock into place, Sesshomaru stormed off to his study. How could she even dare to think of such things? She _would _love him. He would make sure of it. Finally reaching his small sanctuary, he shoved the door shut behind him and dropped into his father's old chair. The muscles within his body were pulled taught with all the anger searing within him; it was all he could to keep his beast at bay. He would never let her go. There would never be another.

Sighing, he leaned back and tried to stop the previous event from playing itself out in his head for the sixth time. Suddenly, he stilled, even his breathing halted. Her scent, she had not held the aroma of lust of anticipation which always surrounded such thoughts, but more of a compassionate fragrance. What if she hadn't been talking about other bed partners at all? What if she was simply talking about her family? In his solitude, he groaned and threw his head into his open palms. Why was he always so quick to assume? He knew better than to think she would wish for another's touch.

Even though his mind screamed at him to apologize for his misconduct, his pride would allow no such thing. Just the thought of having hurt his mate out of the unbridled and undeserved jealousy he felt wounded him deeply, it was too soon for him to be able to admit his fault to her. Instead, choosing to burrow through the much neglected paperwork he had bypassed for the past several days. He would go to her tomorrow; the night would give her time to cool off and him several good hours to think of what to say. He knew a gift or an apology wasn't going to be enough. The question seemed to be, what would be?

At the same time, Kagome lay still sprawled on the floor as the lord had left her. Her eyes were red and puffy, swollen from the flood of tears that had burst forth; however, it seemed as if she had been drained of every tear in her body and was simply left drained. She wished she could take it back, for she had been almost sure he would take her question the wrong way, yet she had asked anyway. This was not going to work, for the first time she had arrived, Sesshomaru had actually scared her like he scared so many others. She couldn't handle this.

Slowly bringing herself to her wobbly feet, she began to look for a path of escape from her unusually comfortable prison. Seeing nothing of use to her, she slowly brought herself to the broad window that was facing the setting sun. Maybe she'd never get to ride of into the sunset for her happy ending. Hell, right now she'd give anything for just a proverbial horse. Looking down several hundred feet to the ground below her, Kagome realized that she was now in the old and unused part of the palace moon. Even she, with her untrained miko senses could tell that there was now barrier prevent escape to the outside world.

Turning her head, she admired the thick vines of wild roses that had bloomed over the years, undisturbed by human or demon hands. Remembering fondly the undying roses that Sesshomaru had given several days ago, he leaned out the window and gently caressed the soft petals of the crimson plat. Tracing over it's contours with her fingers, she soon found her hand upon the thick vine from which the bud had sprouted. Giving it a firm tug, a tired smile crossed her face. It hadn't budged. Leaning out the window and placing both hands of the make-shift escape ladder, she gulped. She had always been horrible at climbing the ropes during her physical education classes. Always the optimist she tried to tell herself that she had only tried climbing up, not down.

Feeling a small sharp prick upon the flesh of her hand she redirected her eyes only to realize that the vine was, understandably, cover in a health array of thorns. 'That's right, I'd forgotten about that. I just need to go home and get away. Away from Sesshomaru, away from Inuyasha, away from all of the memories. I need time alone, time to think.' Finding her resolved she took one last breath and let her feet dangle over the edge of the window. Perhaps all those years of pulling her bowstring taught had finally paid off. Her arms seemed to be able to support her, so she began the slow descent to the ground.

Having covered about three fourths of the distance to the ground, her arms were beginning to feel like limp noodles and her hands were killing her. Gazing up at the small bloody trail she had left behind her, she decided it was a small price to pay for freedom. Realizing that she could hold on for only a few more moments, she said a quick pray and let herself drop, hoping that she could land gracefully.

That was a joke. Kagome had always been a very clumsy girl and never possessed the poise of a feline. 'It might be all this time with dog demons,' she thought as she laid flat on her back. Crawling up once more, she gazed about before making her way into the forest. Having no idea in which direction to travel, she simply headed straight, trying to keep her mind from a certain youkai.

With Inuyasha:

Glowing crimson eyes surveyed the space one final time. For the past two nights the hanyou had been working feverishly on finishing his future den. He himself was proud of his work, but it mattered not. All that mattered in regard to their den was the opinion of his bitch. Rolling the smooth beads of the subjugation necklace he had finally been able to retrieve today between his clawed fingers he smirked. He was ready. It was ready. Turning towards the entrance of his future home, he walked out to the edge of the forest and threw his head back, releasing a long howl of the hunt. For he was indeed on the hunt, he was hunting for his bitch. With those final thoughts he tore off through the forest in the direction a certain miko just happened to traveling.

A/N: Well there you go, another chapter. I'm not sure how good this one was, I have a feeling it sucked. Oh well though. Anyway, I've made the decision not to release a new chapter next week and just take the week off. My muse has sort of left me on this story and I just need a week to relax. I have too many ideas to pick out just one at the moment. So, the next chapter will be released on March 9th. Trust me, I promise to make it worth the wait. Thanks again and please review!


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: I'm truly sorry it took so long for me to get this chapter out; my muse was just gone for a little bit there. I think I was just pushing myself a little too hard and ended up on overload for a couple of days. Anyway, I've had a nice break and the time off has really given me an opportunity to look at the plot and see where I want to go with it. Once again I would like to warn all my readers that there is a touch of lime-ish content in this chapter. As always, thank you for all of your support and comments. (Oh, there is going to a rather large surprise in several chapters; I'm still working the kinks out but at least you'll have something to look forward to. Also, I know I said that this chapter would be worth the wait, but it didn't turn out as planned. There was supposed to be a lot more action but it just got too long. Please hang on until next time.)

Just Past the Eastern Border of the Western Lands:

Looming in the shadows of the protective grace of no man's land so to speak, stood the powerful architectural structure of a building that had, at one time, been quite a sight to behold. At present however, its crumbling stone stature gave it a look of unmovable desperation while the thick weeds bunched around the base spoke of proverbial imprisonment. Thick gridiron casings around arched windows that at one point in time could be thrust open to bring forth at least some semblance of freedom, were now bronze due to weathering; even the thick metal gate that had so long ago welcomed visitors into the hall now creaked eerily on its hinges.

The moist and moldy stones of a long grown over walkway lead to a small, scum covered pond. At first glance it seemed to be simply a giant black opening in the earth, through which one could tumble downward into the pits of hell unhindered. Beyond said pond was a reasonably sized courtyard stretching into a field of wild rushes. Upon observation one would note the massive indentations pressed into the soft soil of the ground, shaped in the form of a massive paw. Scorched sections of ground were outdone only by the giant slashes in such soil, those that spoke of a battle since passed. In the center of splotchy, blood-stained ground laid a very near fatally wounded spider hanyou.

So badly deformed was he that even his own reflection would have had to question its authenticity. Once pristine lily white skin was now blacked and shriveled stretched tightly across the humbling mass of bones that had one thrived with such power. Facing upward, the formerly distinguished facial features of the spider were now nearly indistinguishable; the only actual sign of his livelihood was the sporadic rise and fall of his chest. A complicated creature, the young Naraku was not fully dead.

In all fairness, his salvation had been his damnation. As the bandit Onigumo, he had sold his flesh and much of his soul in return for the power he so longed for. It was in this process that the great Naraku lost what was necessary to pass into the realms beyond. No afterlife, neither hellish nor salvation based, wanted a soulless occupant. Truthfully, it defeated the purpose of the entire process. This was not to say however that the wicked hanyou was untouchable to the hands of death, but that he would simply need to be, in some minute form, delivered there directly.

Clever being that Naraku was, he had never vested all of his power in any one of his flesh vessels. It was true; the form he had held during his battle with the lord of the west was his largest deposit of energy, but it was nothing that was not redeemable. Knowing of only one bargain that would serve to bring him forth from such inevitably death kissed wounds, his black lips cracked into a smile, forming what was to be the most utterly terrifying expression that would ever come to cross his handsome features. Once before he had bargained away his flesh, he would not hesitate to do as such again.

More experienced in demon culture now, he knew he could gain more than he had originally gotten. Having tasted human flesh himself, he knew that each sin committed by a being served to sweeten the protective meat and made it that much more delectable in demon eyes. Snapping his still crimson eyes shut, he called forth the same dark force he had bartered with so many years ago. As the process began, he was instantly reminded of how truly unbearable the pain of the process had been. Thankfully, the feasting lasted only several minutes and left him finally in the solitary field, a mass of formless power.

His previous form had of course not been his own, but over time he grown quite accustomed to it, even partial. In his final act of rejuvenation, he called back the spirits of each of his avatars, using them to once again take the form of the long raven haired minor lord he had once stolen. Standing at his full height, he felt an even stronger power than that of the shikon flow through his veins; yes, the hellish power of the underworld evils had been bestowed upon him. With a final maniacal laugh, he stormed back to his fortress. Oh, he would have his bitch and _someone_ would pay dearly, all he had to do was come up with a plan.

With Inuyasha:

The bounding trek of the currently feral inu hanyou had just begun, bringing his muscled form all but a mile from the den he had made, when he caught a whiff of a certain wanted female. Why was the bitch traveling alone in the woods under such conditions? He growled, it was true he had placed his den within his forest, the forest of Inuyasha, but that still did not give the wench protection enough to roam freely. Although he detested with an ungodly amount of spirit having his future mate under the protection of his despicable brother, it was better than having her wandering alone.

His inner beast threw invalid threats left and right, seemingly misdirected at the western lord. This was simply just another reason why he was the only suitable mate for Kagome, no other could control her…protect her. Yes, it was one in the same to the delirious half breed. Making a mental note to himself to punish his brother severely after his bitch was properly pupped and the mating bond sealed irreversibly, he thought of all the times he had fought for her affections. It bothered him greatly that she did not hold the instincts to recognize his claim of courtship; and the little wench thought he wanted Kikyo. Feh.

Sure Kagome had been just a tool at first, but wasn't everybody? Hell, the whole group had been one big tool to him. Did she not see how he risked his own safety for her? Was she so blind to his demonstrations of protective ability that she still figured herself to be second in his eyes? Why did she think he fought off the wimpy wolf every time he came around? Could she truly be that blind to his affections? A familiar anger at her persistent ignorance was ignited within his being, even while his far off logical mind seemed to press the idea the she was not a demon and therefore knew not of what she did.

Honestly, it no longer mattered what the bitch thought. She was his. She would love him. Always. Humph, if she was such a secondary possession would he have given up his pursuit of the damnable jewel for her? Subconsciously he knew that it was her love and her love alone that had freed him from his former obsession. For the first time in his demonic life, he had not needed to alter his persona to gain the affections of another. She had always accepted him as he was and it was this delusional reasoning that led him to the conclusion that her love for him was eternal and unbreakable. Not once did it cross his preoccupied mind that she would be indignant at his former mating attempt. Why would she be? He was only making a formal claim on what had always been his.

Sensing her aura approaching, he catapulted himself into the sturdy treetops and eyed the ground below him, waiting to catch of a glimpse of her beauty. And such beauty it was; the moment she emerged from the tangled mass of brush at the far end of the tiny glen, he needed a minute to regain his faculties. It seemed as if their separation had served only to heighten her comely appeal and fuel his interminable desire tenfold. Quickly, all such thoughts were replaced by a sense of concern. His dark crimson eyes had detected the small stains of tears that decorated her face, clearly visible in the path of the setting sun. Seconds later his hypersensitive nose was filled with the sweet aroma of her blood; it took only moments for him to detect the bloodied wounds on her delicate little hands. Accompanied by the scent of distress, she seemed to wallow in her own misery.

Perfectly miserable himself at the knowledge of his mate's grief, Inuyasha decided to show himself to the little female – have a talk with his Kagome. Realistically, it was no problem for him to talk in this state, he just rarely deemed it necessary. An instinctually driven creature has little use for words. Even if some of his finer grammatical tuning was outcast, he could still communicate. Deciding he had waited long enough, he impatiently let himself drop from the leafed canopy and into the direct vision of the girl.

At the sudden appearance of her former companion, Kagome gave a startled yelp and a violent jerk, both earning a glare from the inu hanyou. Noticing his still blood hued orbs, she made a slow, steady retreat towards the path from which she had come. Stuttering, she floundered openly for suitable words of greeting. After all, this was the same man that had tried to strip her of her innocence only nights before; although, she had now dealt with western lord's demon enough to know that argument in this state of mind would conclusively end poorly. "H-hey, Inuyasha…How are you y-you? Long time no see…" gulping she turned her head away and cast the long sooty lashes of her sapphire eyes downward.

Growling, Inuyasha took a step forward and placed a firm but gentle grip on her femininely pointed chin. Her anger and fear beyond his comprehension, he pulled his face into a minute smile. True, it was not something suitable for a warrior, but this was his little mate; perhaps it would give her some comfort. Locking his heated gaze with her cool one, he could have howled with glee. The love that had always been present in her eyes, displayed for all to see and directly only at him, was still quite visible. Maybe her stay with his unfeeling brother had reminded her of her fortune.

If only the hanyou knew that the love sparkling so deeply in the young miko's moist eyes was not directed at him, perhaps he would have understood. In truth, the small frigid smile, barely detectable to the untrained eye had reminded her of a certain demon lord that she was very much in love with. Chastising herself inwardly, Kagome felt a fresh batch of tears threatening to spill forth. Only moments earlier, before she had been so abruptly greeted by Inuyasha, she had resolved that it was not her place to think of him in such a way. He was a lord and she was his property; it was not enough for her, she could not stay.

Inuyasha frowned and looked his female over, checking for any serious injuries. When he found none, he concluded that she must be suffering from mental exhaustion. He would need to bring her back to the den as soon as possible to ensure she had a good nights rest. "Female alone?" he asked almost casually.

Deciding it would not hurt to humor her one time friend with a bit of quick conversation, she retorted, "Yes. Inuyasha. I'm alone."

Although he would have rather her response been 'Yes, mate.', he was satisfied with answer she had given him. "Why?"

Kagome sighed deeply, "I don't know. I just think I need some time to myself. Home sounds good right about now, I'll be back in a few-"

"No," he cut her off in an attempt to let her know that leaving his side was not an option. Her home was with him, not with the dirty humans in the ill forecast future.

"But I-"

"No."

"Inuyasha I-"

"_No._"

"INUYASHA!" Kagome belted exasperatedly, "I am going home!"

Throwing a raspy growl at the unruly female, the primal half breed wasted little time in pinching a very delicate nerve of the girl's tender neck, rendering her unconscious for a period of hours. It would not have been his first choice to reprimand her so quickly, but he could see the fatigue play across her angelic features and had resolved not to risk any further stress to her already overexerted body. As a convenient after thought, Inuyasha knelt down and slipped his enchanted string of black marble beads around her soft throat. Taking a small sample of blood from the girls hand he smeared the substance across the stones, insuring the spell's outcome, as well as reminding himself to clean her small wounds when they arrived back at their den. Tossing her smaller body into his arms, he took off at a breakneck pace.

Turning over slowly, Kagome felt several of the vertebrae in her spine pop into place. 'Ew. Gross.' It wasn't that she really minded the feeling, in fact she used to do it all the time when she was younger, but now that she had seen battle and heard spines being torn apart, she preferred to keep hers as intact as possible. Arms feeling like leaden blocks, the priestess slowly rubbed the sleep from her sparkling sapphire eyes in a childish motion. Slightly cracking one lid, she heaved a breathy sigh. She obviously wasn't in the palace moon anymore…she wasn't even in Naraku's castle…so, where in Kami's name was she now? She felt like her life had turned into one giant book of that American comic 'Where's Waldo?'. Stretching her stiff muscles, Kagome swung her sore legs over the side of what she assumed to be a bed and decided to look around.

The last thing she remembered was meeting Inuyasha in the woods and telling him that she was going to go home. 'Kami! That stupid Inuyasha makes me so mad! I can go home if I wanna go home. What's he gonna do about it?' Her tirade of angry thoughts came to an abrupt stop, however when a gust of cool air brushed by her. It almost felt like she was in …a cave? Upon closer inspection, she found her deduction to be rather or at least partially accurate. Standing to the side of a literally cavernous room, she turned her head about. First noticing the comfortable yet inelegant looking bed that she must have woken from, her eyes studied the monstrous fur blankets that had been stacked quite lopsidedly. Almost laughing at what she guessed to be Inuyasha's handiwork, she noticed several goose down pillows propped along the rough wooden headboard.

Turning a bit, she observed a large oaken chest, roughly sanded down by what she could have sworn to be claws; lifting its hefty lid she found several male garbs identical to Inuyasha's fire-rat haori tucked snuggly within. Across the room was a taller, vertical chest that seemed to draw her interest. By all the hells she knew that her inquisitive nature was going to be the end of her one day, but presently she didn't care a wit. Unlatching the simple hook in the front, the girl was surprised to finds several finely woven dress kimonos, the clothes she had packed in her large yellow knapsack and several other garments. Although not nearly as astounding as the clothes presented to her by Sesshomaru, she was still impressed. How had Inuyasha managed to get his hands on these? Wasn't he the one that thought dresses were just a general waste of time?

Closing the door carefully, she paced over the other scorner of the room and plopped herself down on what she assumed to a crudely formed vanity. Looking at the small stone mirror, slightly cracked as it was, that hung upon the wall she noticed an odd string of beads around her neck. Simply curious at first she felt their cool smooth surface and rolled them gently between her fingers; it was when she decided that she would remove them to take a closer look that a problem presented itself, they wouldn't budge from her neck. It was almost as if they were held there by…'Oh Kami! This is not possible! Inuyasha doesn't have any holy powers! This is **definitely **not what I think it is…' Having ceased her hyperventilation, Kagome took a few deep calming breaths. It couldn't possibly be what she thought it was so there was no need to panic…she hoped. Deciding she would ask Inuyasha when she next saw him, she returned to her delicate exploration. Several combs made of bone were lined on the surface of the small beauty table, accompanied by a small basin of water. Standing once more she meandered cautiously through the large stone archway that seemed to connect to the rest of the cave. Before her was a rather circular room, relatively bare in terms of furniture. The only things she could see were an enormous fire pit, lined with stones. Diagonally placed, against the outside wall was a pile of lumber, mainly smaller sticks that she guessed he planned to use to start the fire with the exception of a few larger logs. Aside from that there was only a small stack of what seemed to be cotton pillows thrown haphazardly about.

Moving through another archway, this one covered by a small flap of flimsy material, she came into what was recognizably a kitchen area. Again, a roughly carved table was pushed to the side of the room, standing about waist level. Miffed by the simple fact that she had only ever seen kneeling tables in this era…of course excluding Sesshomaru's home…she simply shrugged. Broadening her view she realized that there were several chairs placed around the outside of the table and a small bench. The first chair, at the head of the table was by far the largest and if she wasn't mistaken had an 'I' carved into its back. The second chair was similar but smaller, it also had a letter carved into the back, but this one was clearly a 'K'. Missing the meaning behind such initialing, Kagome turned her attention to the small, dwarfed bench. To her, it seemed as if it had almost been designed for young children.

Noticing a heavily bolted wooden door, Kagome strode over to it and struggled with the metal fastenings. After several minutes of exertion, she finely managed to haul the massive door open and was promptly hit with a blast of chilled air. Stepping in further, Kagome realized that this was some sort of primitive freezer system, meant to keep meats and store foods. Noticing the hacked appearance of the walls, she surmised that Inuyasha or someone else had dug into the side of the cool stone of the cave and usurped its benefits. Stomach growling as she eyed the lean cuts of meat that had been sparsely salted and thrown on a set of wooden shelves, she took her leave of the space, closing the mighty door behind her.

Across the room were several barrels filled with fruits and vegetables of all sorts. Upon opening a small, thinly carved rack hung crookedly from a wall near the corned of the space, she found several different blends of spices and seasoning; under the aforementioned rack rested an assortment of various sized pots and pans, kettles and crocks. 'Well, at least I won't go hungry,' she thought as she followed the next hollowed arch into the fourth area of the abode.

The next room was slightly larger than those before it and a bit more crammed. The miko's sapphire eyes took in questioningly the small wooden blocks on the far side of the room. As she approached the five little boxes turned into five baby cradles of mediocre craftsmanship. Remembering the tasteful, finely decorated child beds at the home of Sesshomaru, she sighed. Honestly, she had to stop thinking about him. Yes, she loved him but he only saw her as a possession, something to own. Redirecting her attention, Kagome noticed the small rounded rockers placed on the end of each base; a smile crossed her lately forlorn face at the knowledge that someone had thought enough about the actual child to realize the benefits of such an addition.

Scattered around the room were various toys, not of the multitude that could be found in the palace moon, but still a good many. A shelved wooden table was pressed against the wall next to a homely looking rocking chair. Never being one for appearances, Kagome rushed to the contraption and cooed over it. It had been so long since she had seen one…no, there had been one in- ah!- she needed to stop thinking about him or she was going to drive herself quite literally mad.

Dragging herself from the room entirely in a fruitless attempt to push aside unwanted recollections, Kagome inquisitively walked forth through the only other archway present in the cave. The misty steam billowing from the door should have given her a good idea as to what was held inside the final living arena, but in her current state of mind she did not possess the faculties to think through such things. It was only upon entrance, when her wary eyes took in the steaming, clear pool of water that she realized the room's purpose. Squealing in unmeasured delight as she fawned over the sizable hot spring, the miko walked swiftly to the edge of the pool, almost slipping on the wet granite that surrounded the heavenly pit. Her reflection, gazing back at her from the surface of the slightly bubbling water, startled her.

Even with all her adventures, she had never looked quite this disheveled; in all honesty it was quite unnerving. Raven hair was tussled atop her dirty face, accented by her slightly muffed attire and bruised shins. 'Well, don't I look just ravishing,' she hissed sarcastically. Maybe she was too sensitive about hygiene, maybe being born in the future with the luxury of electrical indoor plumbing had spoiled her, maybe she was just one of those compulsive germ-a-phobes that were on television all the time…whatever it was, Kagome just didn't like to be dirty. Momentarily she contemplated taking a quick dip in the scalding water, but quickly rethought it. She didn't after all, know who could be walking in and getting an eye full. Deciding instead to go position herself in what seemed to be the center room, the space containing the fire pit, she sighed. After the short journey and an abrupt drop to the scarcely cushioned pillows that had been tossed against the side wall she closed her eyes and drifted off into a type of sleep strewn awareness.

It was in this manner that she was found by the primitive minded Inuyasha, who had just arrived back from a short hunting excursion hauling a small wild boar over his left shoulder. His more human side smiled gently at the girl, hoping against hope that her thoughts were on him at this moment while his illogical self was ranting about how bitches could sleep anywhere. Shaking his head, he dropped the boar to the ground unceremoniously and bent down to shake his little female. The second her eyes opened slightly to look at him, he took her by the wrists and pulled her up, pushing her towards the dead animal all in one fluent motion. "Cook."

Looking toward her feet and grasping his meaning Kagome grimaced. "Inuyasha, what makes you think you can just tell me to cook for you? I'm not your servant here! Geez!" Apparently that was not the correct response, for she promptly received a well aimed backhand to her now stinging cheek. Raising her hand to her swollen flesh, tears threatened to spill from her usually joyful eyes. Inuyasha had done a lot of jerky things to her over the years, but he'd never actually had the nerve to slap her…like that. Anger replacing her former shock, she growled thinking, 'Why does everyone assume all of a sudden that the can just off and hit me? Did I miss a memo?'

"Eat raw or cook, female. Pick. Going out to get few things. Finished when I return." With his short ultimatum offering speech the hanyou turned on his heel and went off into the darkness of the now rainy night. Not really thinking about his words, Kagome was currently more fascinated with the fact that that was the most he'd ever said conjunctively in this state….it made her wonder; oh well. Once his form had disappeared her stomach gave a dissatisfied rumble. 'Great! This is great timing for me to be hungry! I'm trying to prove a point here. I'm not his personal chef…' Frustrated, she gave the carcass a swift kick in its meaty side.

Instantly she regretted it for the warm, squishing sound almost made her loose what little contents of her stomach there were. Momentarily she decided that it wouldn't hurt to do as he asked. Actually, it would probably be best to play along with his demands until she could find a way to get herself the hell out of here. Lately it seemed like escape plans were becoming her specialty. Wary eyes glancing at the deceased boar she gulped and with much exertion drug the thing out into the clearing. Even though it was raining and the hard beads of water felt almost like little beads of glass as they stung her reddening skin, she refused to gut the animal inside the cave. If she was going to stay there, even just for a few hours she didn't want there to be blood and guts all over.

Extracting a small blade she had picked up in the kitchen area before coming outside, she sighed. It wasn't that she didn't know how to gut an animal, years of feudal travel had taught her that rather quickly, it was just that it sickened her. Once again maybe she was sensitized by the future she hailed from, but slashing up a once living animal made her gag. By the time she was done, she had managed to get several good slabs of meat off the animal and push the corpse away in the nearby brush. Letting the chilled rain wash away all traces of blood on her shaking hands, she walked back into the shelter and tossed the meat onto a nearby stone.

By now, she had lost all appetite that she had had, deciding instead just to get the whole thing over with. After cutting the fowl smelling meat into tiny cubes, she tossed them into blackened pot she had found across the way. Just now realizing her fervent shivering, she stoked the fire in the pit and placed the pot above it after filling it with a decent amount of water. After cutting up several vegetables she found, such as carrots, onions and wild celery, she threw herself down against the wall in a shivering heap. 'Okay, so maybe going out in the pouring rain wasn't the _best _idea.' Scooting closer to the fire, her clothes dried in the warmth during the passing hours.

Coming out of her dazed state, she poured the stew into two of the bowls that she had discovered during her earlier exploration and sprinkled a small amount of spices on both; it was a trick her mother had taught her when she was younger. The small reminder of her home awoke in her a deep sadness, one of longing and guilt. She knew her mother didn't blame her for having to leave so often, but she still couldn't help but feel that twinge of guilt every time she thought of all the work, originally hers, that they were all scrambling to cover for. Even when she had been there all of the time, they had barely gotten things done and now here she was off on her own, shunning her duties to her family for her duties to an era.

Breaking her from her rather gloomy thoughts, Inuyasha made his soaked reappearance, walking through the cave opening, tossing several brown wrapped parcels to his side and shaking heartily like the mutt he was. Any other time, Kagome would have thought this little action adorable, but lately the hanyou had been anything but adorable. 'He should feel lucky he has those damned ears, they're his salvation.' Crystal blue eyes watched as he shrugged off his outer haori and trotted briskly over to the surprisingly modern table, plopping himself down at the head and giving her an incredulous look. "Food, mate." Truly baffled by his sudden demanding nature, well _more _demanding nature, she was about to snap out a negative reply when she decided it wouldn't hurt to bring his bowl to him. Hell, she did it all the time with his ramen when they were traveling, why should she make it any different now?

The crimson eyed hanyou watched his bitch intently as she carefully balanced the bowls of what smelled like some type of stew in one hand and two glasses in the other hand. A wicked gleam shone in his eyes at her small stumble; oh she would have to be much more graceful than that for she was soon going to be serving him with a mess of pups running around her feet. The thought was endearing to the hanyou and his intense gaze softened for a moment. Why hadn't his more _logical _side realized what a prize this woman was earlier? Truthfully, it made him wonder if he wasn't the more reasonable of the two. As she set down his meal, he watched her pitiful attempt to retreat to the other side of the table with amusement before he snatched her wrist into his calloused hand and gave it a reprimanding squeezing, pushing her backward into the seat next to him.

Ignoring her small cry of shock, he bent down and inhaled the aroma of her creation, all the while keeping his eyes locked with hers. His mind hummed with suppressed pleasure; this was certainly going to be the best meal he'd had since she had parted from him. Grimacing at the memory of his inability to protect the girl, he took a measured gulp of the substance and gave her an approving nod. His bitch was a wonderful cook; he'd have to keep that in mind. It was when he leaned over to give her cheek a customary lick of approval, as was the inu tradition, he smelled it. He could smell her usual scent, the slight dewy smell of rain on her form and a good marking portion of his brother. Instantly the meal was forgotten and he had the confused female pinned to the stone wall, sniffing around her neck madly.

Having a mind of their own, his elongated claws cut through her clothing, shredding in one swift swipe. How dare she come into _their _den where they would raise _their _pups and live out _their _days together with the scent of **him** on her being? It was as if she was trying her hardest to defy him, declaring in every way she could that she did not accept his suit. It was going to have to change. After shedding his own undershirt hastily and rolling up his hakamas in swift, jerky tugs, he threw the tiny woman child over his broad shoulder and made a mad dash, using every once of his demonic speed to the hot springs.

Kagome, not knowing the water extended several hundred feet into the ground in the source area, let out a shrill shriek when the hanyou holding her dropped her from his shoulder and crushed her to his chest, taking a wild dive into the steaming liquid. Prepared for death, she was pleasantly surprised when her head came into contact with no solid rock surface, rendering her completely unharmed. Her exuberant joy was short lived as she was pushed abruptly into a much shallow area, one in which she was able to stand only to be trailed by a fuming Inuyasha. Within seconds, she felt large hands upon her scrubbing her skin roughly, rubbing it red and raw. Gaining her breath, she let out a puzzled scream. "What are you doing? You need to-"

Inuyasha, not feeling like listening to his bitch's complaints and whines at the moment pushed her under the surface of he hot water, holding her there until he was certain that she understood she was to be calm and compliant. Having forgotten humans could not go without air quite so long as hanyous, he was a bit startled to see the purplish tint to her normally milky pale skin and caught the scent of desperate tears. Nuzzling her neck gently in an unspoken apology, he lifted the trembling girl from the water and wrapped her in a bath robe, forgetting to dry her; he had gotten at the village. At least now the awful scent of his brother was faded somewhat. This knowledge soothing him, Inuyasha carried his female back to his bed and laid her down gently, slipping in behind her and spooning her tightly, molding each contour of her body to his own.

The sight of the girl naked had been enough to make him painfully aroused, but her tears had been, in this case, enough to calm such urges. Usually, they would only have spurred him on, but in this case he knew he was putting her safety on the line by attempting to go any further. Before he had set off for her, he had come to the decision that he would give her a weeks time before he took her fully, wanting to prove himself honorable, or at least more so than their last encounter Bending his own neck he began to lick and suckle the tender column of her throat, quite intent on leaving visible marks for all to see, something to demonstrate his ownership and ward away other males. Also, he simply wanted to cover his brother's marking scent with his own. Soon, the convulsive sobs of her body stopped and all was left quiet.

Needing something to say, but not being able to think of anything to fill the deafening silence, Kagome asked a very awkward question, once again demonstrating her lack of practical piecing of information. Turning her silky head up toward the hanyou that was currently purring darkly and pushing himself tightly against her she tried to manage a smile. "Um, whose house is this that we're in? I looked around a bit after I woke up; it's quite an interesting place."

His half demon sense had been able to track her scent through the course of the house, therefore having already provided for him the information of her exploration. However, it was not important at the moment; he knew this was a smart female; it was just that in some stances she was just too innocent to be anything other than oblivious. Placing his squared jaw on top of her raven colored tresses, he let out a raspy, "Ours. Our den."

Utterly befuddled she repeated his words quizzically, "Ours? Our den?" It was at that moment that the little miko had one of her more abrupt revelations, suddenly gifted with the understanding that he wished her to stay with him. Feeling his immediate nod at her questions she looked at him and asked plainly, "Why, Inuyasha? You know all those years I was after you like a love sick puppy….er, sorry….and you didn't notice me at all. You'd always run off to Kikyo. Inuyasha, I'm sorry but I've kind of gotten over you and moved on." In her mind she added a mental 'I hope.' "I honestly don't know what's up with you right now but you have Kikyo, you love her, not me."

Growling in a warning tone he snapped his teeth at her as a sign of caution. Outwardly, he looked only slightly agitated, however he was bubbling with confusion inwardly. What was the matter with this female? How could she even compare herself to the dead whore? Although, a small part of his mind was shouting adamantly at him about how _he _was the first to bring about such comparisons. There was a brief moment where a tidal wave of guilt crashed down upon his shoulders before he shook it off; he may have been emotionally driven to such instinctual behavior, but guilt was not an acceptable feeling. He was the dominant in the relationship, the alpha; he had leave to speak as freely as he wished. However, the dejected look on her porcelain white face flashed into his memories, the look she had gotten each time he had spoken such words.

It didn't matter now, this was the present and that was the past. If he was willing to forgive the little bitch for her transgressions against him with his emotionless brother, she should be willing to let such incidences go on his account as well. Even if she didn't it didn't matter, not in the least. She should have known she was his. Yes, that was all there was to it. No matter what her thoughts were on the matter she would be his mate and she would love him. Why? Because he would demand it of her. Going back to her original statement, he had to hold in a repulsed shudder at the thought of mating with the vengeful clay priestess. The atrocious woman was so cold and unfeeling, revered for her ruthlessness and feared for her pitiless mannerisms. But his Kagome's soul, present deep within the heated little body he was holding, was warm and understanding, forgiving and accepting. It was that acceptance that made him realize his love for her, even if he would never admit to it the loss of her acceptance would lacerate his soul.

That would never happen. She would always love him no matter what he did. She was stupid in that way. Of course he knew he would not be able to commit acts of infidelity for he simply had too much honor, yes she would be the only one to warm his bed. However he was quite sure there would be a few times where the little spitfire would need to reminded of her place and he would not hesitate to do so, even if it had to be done by physical means. Feeling her questioning glance upon him he growled, "No."

"What? What do you mean no what?

Exasperated at her lack of understanding, he gripped her chin tightly and huffed, "No. Kikyo. My Kagome. Mine."

Feeling incredibly awkward hearing such words from a man whose brother she felt so deeply for, Kagome attempted to change the subject and suddenly remembered a question that she had wanted to ask. Fingering the black stone beads around her neck and trying to look as innocent as possible, a task not that incredibly difficult for her, she asked, "Inuyasha, what are these?" As she watched him she was quite aware at the anger that passed through him at her ignoring his heated statements, but she saw it depart as quickly as it had come and he was now grinning widely at her like the Cheshire cat.

Wanting to tease the little wench a bit for her ignorance, he decided he would play with her a bit. After all, he had finally found the strength and means to remove his own subjugation necklace, a very painful process indeed. All he had needed was the energy and powers of a dark miko to block out and occupy the holy energy long enough for him to slip the wretched thing over his tousled silver head. "Protection," was his sly answer, meant only to leave her wondering. He silently reveled in the knowledge he had such power over her; oh how the mighty have fallen. It had taken him several days of on and off thought to decide what command to give the necklace. Certainly he didn't want anything that would hurt her too badly, just make her more manageable. A command to insure her submission was evasive within his mind, until he finally came to the conclusion he would simply use that. Submit. That would be his command. If everything worked as planned she would be forced to her knees, hands behind her back and head bowed. It did make quite a tempting picture in his mind.

Overwhelmed at the lack of information he seemed to be providing her with she asked, "Protection from what?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Bitch, you know not what is best for you. My job. I decide." A certain childish glee, the type that comes with winning a board game with having been let to do so, or having the best drawing in the whole kindergarten, filled his insides. By the look on her face she had definitely realized what his little gift was and now she was panicking. Unable to suppress it any longer, a rough low toned chuckle burst forth from the cavity of his muscled chest.

The miko had indeed realized the full extent of her situation and was now trying to decide on the best course of action. She could of course kick and scream and attempt to run, but whatever his command was she doubted that the necklace would allow for such a thing. On the other hand, her second choice would be to remain compliant to his wishes until she found a way out of her new portable prison. Deciding she would play along with delusional hanyou for the time being, Kagome thought to once again change the subject. "Um," she cleared her throat, "You've made a very nice…den…Inuyasha. Don't you think that it's a little big though?"

Accepting her compliment and deciding to drop the matter of the subjugation beads until it was necessary to resume the topic he growled and pulled his tiny female to him. The feel of her soft form pressed against his own was enough to drive him near to the brink of his self control; after all, he had been awaiting his chance for many moon cycles now. "No. For pups." The stiffening of her body brought forth a surge of anger from the half breed. Was he not good enough to sire her with his seed? Did she not think him worthy of her affections? Did she doubt his ability to pleasure her? Whatever it was, her mindset would certainly change before long.

Stiffening at the mention of pups, Kagome felt her rigid body begin to perspire. 'What do I say to that? I'm not ready to have kids, er, pups.' Some part of her acknowledged that that wasn't true, if she had found herself carrying the child of the western lord, she have rejoiced jovially. But with Inuyasha it was different, he didn't even seem to be responsible enough to take of himself half the time, how in the world did he expect to be a good father? Deciding that honesty would be the best path to take in such an instance she said, "Inuyasha…you're a great friend," inside her head she winced at her own words, 'yeah, a great friend that tried to rape me…' "But, I…I…can't have your pups. It just wouldn't work Inuyasha, you know with the time period thing and all…"

Excuses! The bitch was lying to him, even if she wasn't what place was it of hers to say he could not have her body? He was in charge, and he would remind her as such. Rolling over abruptly, the primal half breed straddled the girl's waist and pinned her small wrists together above her head with one of his own massive hands. Looking down at her, he growled lowly, a warning not to struggle. For all the fury it pushed him to, there was a large part of the hanyou that found his Kagome most attractive when she defied him. Why? He doubted he would ever know, but it was simply the way it was.

Startled by the new sexual nature of their physical contact, Kagome wiggled beneath him frantically, only to stop as a fervent pink blush of a great ferocity spread across her flushed face.

Even during his most childish temper tantrums over the past several years since his release, his anger had at least been justly founded even if it was blown entirely out of proportion. His present emotional status was different; the rage he directed towards the tiny miko was truly meant for the world and its ever so shallow occupants. Years of rejection had simply served to build a damn of emotion, one that had suddenly burst at what his inu took as the rejection of their Kagome. Looking down at his prey, he let a clawed hand fly, lacerating the miko's cheek deeply. It was quite evident that if she were not a priestess, the marks would have scarred over.

Watching the thick, crimson liquid slide down his female's cheek only pushed his insanity further. Quickly pushing her arms to her sides he trapped them under his bent knees as well, freeing up both his hand to inflict what he felt was a justly deserved punish. Both clawed hands grasping at the girl's throat he squeezed, applying a great amount of pressure to her currently blocked windpipe. His messy silver strands acted as a curtain as he leaned down closer to the young woman, until their noses were nearly touching and stared into her panicked eyes. The look of sheer helplessness enticed him. In her now tearing eyes was reflected the exact emotion that he had felt so often over the past years and throughout his entire life. It was as if they all thought he chose the life of a half demon, but in all realness he had no say, his life was in the hands of society. And that society was the very reason he was so outcast; and now to see his Kagome living with the fear of her fate in the palms of another was simply delicious. Delicious, for he was that other. He was in control. He could do as he pleased…and he loved it.

Being an inu youkai, there was no real risk of him killing his own mate, for it was a practice nearly unheard of to their breed. However, it held no keep from severe pain. Perhaps if Kagome had known such a thing, she would not have been quite as worried…or maybe she would have been. Really, it changed nothing; the purple faded spots that were dancing before her eyes flashed in and out of her vision as the lack of oxygen went to her head. Momentarily her throat was released, but her thanks of salvation were short lived at her mouth was covered by that of her former friend before she even complete her third breath.

Utterly unprepared for the painful sensation that flooded through her as the hanyou's lengthened fangs ripped halfway through the flesh of her bottom lip, her mouth opened in a gasp. Unfortunately, this only presented an opportunity for her assailant to shove his rough, canine tongue down her throat. Any attempt to force his exit was thrown away as her chin was pulled down, literally locking her oral orifice open to his attacks. Until seconds ago, her quest for air had kept her ignorant to the traveling path of the half breed's other large hand; now, she clearly felt the cold air nip and push at her body as the robe she had been wearing was ripped open and pushed aside.

Under his roughly moving fingers, Inuyasha could feel the slight twitching of her tightly toned stomach muscles, something that he intended to eventually enjoy in other places as well. As his hand finally came to rest over her exposed heat, he cupped it possessively parting their lips to stare into his female's eyes. "Bitch," was his only utterance as he none to gently pushed his clawed fingers into her feminine opening. His own aching arousal was being ground feverishly against the leg of his unwilling partner. If only the hanyou had known the irony of the situation; his first real sexual experience with the girl, aside from his first poorly planned attempt at mating, was very much like that of his older, full demon brother.

It was that exact thought that, that heated memory of Sesshomaru, which caused a small moan to escape the lips of the woman. Utterly ashamed at her own body's reaction to the unwanted contact, Kagome shut her eyes tightly simply praying that the whole fiasco would end quickly. Thoughts of the opposite nature were currently taking seed in the mind of the male above her, but even he knew he could stand only a minute more at most before he spilled himself. Truly, he had lusted after this female for so long that it was only to be expected. Even as the notion passed through his mind he felt his balls tighten pleasantly and a few streams of gooey semen pour from his rapidly deflating shaft. Being a hanyou and having amazing stamina, Inuyasha could have easily gone again, this time in an even more intimate manner, but the sight of his bleeding woman was enough to slightly calm even the beast that raged within him.

Pushing himself up with his finely muscled fore arms, Inuyasha rolled off of the bed and fully discarded his clothes before reaching for the robe that had previously covered his Kagome and doing the same. His heart weakened a bit as he saw the violent flinch his touch stirred from the girl, however it was not his fault and could not be helped. This was simply the way things would have to be until she learned to obey him unconditionally. Dropping himself back onto the bed, he rolled to his Kagome and pulled her trembling form to him before gently licking the blood, the blood he himself had drawn, from her injured cheek. Finished he laid himself back, his arms still wrapped around her and growled, "You will learn, mate."

Kagome said not a word. The only signs that life still stirred within her battered being were the hot tears rolling down her cheeks and the erratic rise and fall of her sobbing chest. This was not her Inuyasha; this was not the Inuyasha that she had spent so long days and worried moons with. He was so…vicious and domineering, like he was poised to attack any shortcoming he saw within her. All the thoughts that swirled together in her cluttered mind centered off the naïve hope that the lord Sesshomaru would come for her…to her. However, she knew it would not be so. He did not want her like she wanted him; in his eyes she was just another object to possess. In his eyes, she would never be more than that and she had to de-root her absurd hopes to the contrary. Thoughts being shoved roughly out her mind by exhaustion, the miko soon fell asleep.

The still furious hanyou was not far behind but his last thought was of the horrid thoughts that might have been planted in his woman's head about his abilities as a mate by his asshole brother. Oh, he would have his bitch and _someone _would pay dearly.

Sesshomaru's Study in the Palace Moon:

Laying his aching head down on the cool wood of his father's desk, Sesshomaru groaned silently. All the thoughts that had come and gone from his mind, all the worries and practiced apologies had given him quite a severe headache. For one of the first times in his long life, the lord truly wished his father could be with him. Surely he would know had to compensate for such a drastic fault. Closing his eyes, the lord of the west fell into a light restless slumber, one plagued with dreams and visions.

Upon his entrance to the realm of unawareness, Sesshomaru found himself in a humbly furnished cave, one with large archways and stone walls. Even if curiosity was a feline trait, he had never quite been able to suppress it completely and thus began to wander about until a resounding sob echoed within his ears. He…he knew that sob; propelling himself rapidly toward the sound's epicenter. Arriving in a decently decorated bedroom, Sesshomaru was greeted with the most infuriating sign of his life.

There, underneath his idiot brother lay his angel Kagome, crying frantically as the filthy hanyou ground himself against her leg and pumped her. Roaring his rage, he charged the pair, but was met with only air. It was as if he had simply passed through the couple who were still totally oblivious to his presence. Blood, boiling he wildly thrashed and tore at what should have been his brother's flesh. _:: Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. :: _The emotional torture continued for him until he was finally gifted with the displeasure of watching the hanyou spill himself and strip off his garments as well as the garments of a crying Kagome.

Unbeknownst to the Lord of the West, what seemed like a momentary dream to his hazy mind had actually been the result of several hours of restless slumber. It was only the wind that woke him, tickling his sense with an instantly recognizable scent. Unwilling to believe his traitorous nose, he flew to the chamber in which he had left his mate, only to find it empty and cool. The chilling air of the nighttime hours blew in from the window, once again planting before him the damned aroma. Stalking over to the window, thinking his Kagome was simply playing some feminine game with him, he literally barked when he found the thing what he had dreaded. Red blood, blood that had been scented to him by the western winds, stained the side of his castle and clung dried and cracking to the vines that scaled the walls.

The last rational thought that happened to cross the mind of the lord was that such incidents were becoming all too frequent before he was once again ruled by his demonic blood. Never in his life had he lost such control of himself as he did since the girl had come to him, but at the moment it didn't matter. Having already tracked the woman's scent to the edge of the unbarred forest a deep mournful howl rose from his chest. This was truly his doing, he had driven the female away with his actions and now she would most certainly be in danger.

It was only then that the irate lord realized that the story of his slumber had been not a dream but a vision. Instantaneously all thoughts of guilt and remorse fled from his being as he was overcome by a hate more powerful than even that he felt for the spider hanyou. He had witnessed with his own eyes his brother molest HIS female. Oh, he would have his bitch and _someone_ would pay dearly.

Outside of Inuyasha's Cave:

Cold, calculating brown eyes listened to the words of her former suitor. In all honesty, it would have been improper to call him a former love, for she had at no point felt such an emotion for the twit. This was simply a matter of pride and property. The current state of things was unacceptable…the girl would have to be taken care of.

A/N: There you go. I'm sorry to report that it will be another 2 weeks before I update (the next chapter should be out sometime between the 21st and the 23rd). It's just that I have quarterlies for the next few weeks and need to study, plus I have some minor class changes that I need to deal with for mid-semester. Honestly, I apologize for this. After the next chapter is up I will be back to my regular schedule of one update per week. Thanks again.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Once again I'm sorry this took awhile to get out; there is a lot going on with school right now. I should be back to my regular update schedule now. Thanks and enjoy!

Side Note: I know people are confused so I thought I'd straighten things out. Kikyo is not dead…well, you all know what I mean. She just hasn't been around but that's going to change. Sorry if I haven't been clear about that. Also, Kagome isn't dumb she's just being a normal teenage girl with her naivety.

With Inuyasha and Kagome:

Opening her weighted eyelids to reveal the dulled sparkle of her sapphire orbs, Kagome groaned silently. Sniffling and letting out a breathless cough, she turned over only to feel as if her chest was being compressed under a two ton truck. As she wiggled herself into an upright position, she could feel the pushing, pounding and draining lessen quite considerably. Mentally berating herself for not thinking of such obvious consequences as she had so carelessly strolled into the chilled rainstorm the previous night, the miko felt a slight tingling sensation in her nose. It was only moments before the slight tickle exploded into a full blown sneeze, waking a certain inu hanyou.

Not having taken a deep plunge into the land of dreams, more so floating on the surface of awareness, Inuyasha was quick snap open his amber eyes and straighten his muscled body into a sitting position. He had indeed felt the slight pressure shift through the mattress and was also quite aware that his bitch was no longer making any intimate flesh to flesh contact with him; however, he had supposed she was simply shifting herself. After all, since when was his bitch an early riser? Reaching forward in a manner of nearly tangible worry, the primitive half dog youkai grasped his woman, twining his built arms around her and snapping her back to his chest abruptly.

Lowering his nose to her milky, smooth shoulder he inhaled her usually fresh scent only to find it tainted with a bit of illness. Although it was not nearly enough to actually cause any significant worry, the hanyou most full heartedly detested the thought of his mate being sick any form whatsoever. Growling, he concluded this must have something to do with his damn bastard of a brother; the fool probably let her wander off into the cold unattended. Pulling her smaller form down with his own more defined one, he situated her so that their eyes locked in a monumental battle of wills.

Feeling the moisture already gather and well at the bottom of her human orbs, she fought back the urgent need to blink; suddenly it was if the strongest gusts of wind known to this earth were blowing directly into her face begging her shamelessly to close such speculative portals. Giving in to the persistent wishes of nature, she lowered her head slowly and tried to direct her view away from the demon before her in any way she could. It was in this same moment, Inuyasha's feral mind celebrated her grudging submission; this was how things were intended to be.

Pulling her chin up with a dangerously clawed hand as to make eye contact with the little female beside him, Inuyasha spoke in a low and reprimanding tone to the bitch. "Female, you will not sicken. Must be healthy to carry pups. My pups. Ours pups." Looking down at her for confirmation he let a low snarl tear from his chest until the girl responded with what he did not realize was a placating nod. Inuyasha flashed a fanged grin before nipping her nose in a traditional sign of inu appreciation and dominance. Purely by luck did the girls open mouth brush against his chin, but such ill fated luck had the hanyou believe it was a true signal of submission.

Not even noticing the new prospect of supposed submission, Kagome pulled herself away from the reluctantly loosening arms of Inuyasha. Sighing and stretching her arms over her head, Kagome was quick to realize that she was nude. Although a brilliant blush quickly covered the young woman's face, it went unnoticed by hanyou as he inspected her ample bosom with appreciative eyes. Shyly pulling out one of the kimonos she had found earlier, she looked to the hanyou who nodded back at her slightly and slipped a pair of his own red hakamas on, fastening them loosely over his lean hips.

Pulling his chosen mate into their makeshift kitchen, Inuyasha threw himself down at the head of the table unceremoniously and gave the girl an expectant glare. After a few minutes of watching the girl gawk at him like a confused fish, he decided to aid her in her understanding by dismissively saying, "Food, bitch."

Kagome was a bit surprised when she found out what it was her former companion was demanding, but quickly moved to get what he had asked for. Honestly, it was not for the half breed the girl responded but to the call of her own empty stomach, reminding her of the interruption to their dinner the night before. Hoping to avoid another repeat situation, Kagome fished out a few white styrofoam cups of instant ramen that must have been in her yellow knapsack and proceeded to add a measured amount of water to the mixture before pouring it into the black hanging kettle to heat for a few moments; she really didn't feel like putting much work into this meal seeing as how the last one was so rudely forgotten. Looking around the room she could actually see the bowls that had been knocked to the floor and their remaining solid contents sprawled before them in a disheveled manner. Besides, Inuyasha loved ramen; she knew he wouldn't be complaining about her choice.

Still standing to the side of the now steaming pot, the futuristic miko released an irritated sigh, wondering why the 'instant' part instant ramen seemed to be so lacking on this particular morning. When the food was finally softened enough to consume, Kagome poured most of the actual noodles into one crude bowl while pouring most of the broth in another before adding a small portion of the adverse to each. It was funny really how opposite the two were, even in their eating habits. Inuyasha always complained for more noodles while she personally liked the broth. It worked out well though and perhaps it was that very reason that had blinded the girl to their polar opposition for so many hazy years.

Watching the bitch finish up his meal Inuyasha could feel his hollow stomach growling almost more persistently than his beast had been doing continuously for the past several days. Inwardly he came to the conclusion that the only good thing to come from that hell hole she called the future was most certainly instant ramen. Although he knew he would never allow her such liberties as going back through the well she had sprung forth from, that was not to say that he himself couldn't go acquire a supply of the delectably flavored sustenance. As the female placed his meal in front of him, he almost laughed as she tried to retreat to the far end of the table before seating herself; no, there would be none of that. Quick reflexes aided his bid for her arm as his large calloused swordsman's hand enclosed about her fragile wrist and gave a short jerk.

Seeing the delicate miko with such a flustered look plastered upon her face as she fell into the chair by his side, instilled in him a feeling of mirth. If it hadn't been so inappropriate for him as the alpha to laugh, the hanyou would have most certainly let loose a hearty chuckle. Seeing her albeit grudging acceptance of his blatant command he settled in and ate quietly as his female did the same. The remainder of the meal passed in silence before he wordlessly bid her to clear the table as he walked to the less cluttered portion of the room. Picking up the brown papered parcels he had so carelessly dropped the night before he took the girl's hand and drew her with him to mouth of their den, pulling her down into his lap after positioning himself cross legged.

Falling into his hold without argument, the miko coughed slightly only to receive a pointed glare from her current chair. Under normal circumstances she most definitely would have fought to have been able to sit independently, but today it just seemed as if the world was in slow motion. There was so much racing through her mind that it seemed that her body lacked the physical ability to keep up. Shaking and redirecting her attention to the hanyou who was now grasping her shoulders in a rather rough fashion, she was surprised to hear him speak. "For female. Mating gifts. Open." Yes, it was true that Sesshomaru had practically given a whole palace as his 'mating gift' but its impact upon her hadn't been nearly as strong as this. Years of traveling together and the half breed beneath her had never gotten her anything. Sure he didn't really have money or understand any of the silly holidays people in her area were so fond of, but all the same he never even bothered with so much as a flower.

It was different with Sesshomaru. From the minute she had come into his care he had showered her with unnecessary gifts, making her feel like the princess he insisted she was. Even if the gifts had been from her enemy at the time, it was impossible to deny they were charming. Perhaps she had just gone too long without feeling appreciated, but it was a wonderful feeling nonetheless. Shaking hands reaching for the first floppy package the hanyou deposited on her lap, Kagome gently unwrapped the wrinkled paper only to gasp in surprise. The humble wrapping held a very intricately designed red silk kimono. Several white and black blossoms trailed down the side of the left bell sleeve, scattered in increasing thickness as they reached the tail end. It appeared that it would come down to her knees and fit her rather tightly, but she cared not at the moment. It was only when Inuyasha spoke that she regained some of her more logical faculties. "Put on." As she was pushed from his lap Kagome blushed profusely.

Watching as his mate began to slip away into the adjoining room, he stopped her with an unarguable voice. "Dress here. Seen you before, woman. Beautiful." It took several minutes before she returned to her spot in front of him and turned to face the opposite wall and even then he could clearly smell the mix of vivid anger and embarrassment that rolled off in such thick waves. Tuning himself out from her emotions he smiled to himself. Soon she would not be afraid to present her body to her male, no she would see it as the honor it was. More pressing than even that however was the meaning such a garb held for the unknowing girl. The kimono, fashioned in his own identifying colors and drenched in his masculine claiming musk was a clear indication to all other males that this female was spoken for.

Kagome who couldn't quite decide between anger at the indignity her former friend forced upon her or delight at the simple fact that he had thought of her, finished dressing herself and turned to Inuyasha. The heat radiating from her face was only further proof that she was indeed red as a tomato from the nudity she had momentarily suffered. Of course it was true that he had seen her the previous night but still it was awkward. Turning about she saw the pleased look in the half inu demon's honeyed yellow eyes before being pulled once more into the warm prison of his muscular arms. Not having time to think of what to say before a second parcel was shoved upon her, Kagome simply unwrapped the next offering. Inside, was a silken bath robe, almost like the one provided by Sesshomaru, but a bit less elegant.

Even if he seemed a bit thick at times, Inuyasha knew what his woman liked and while he wasn't too fond of baths himself he could certainly become partial to them if he was accompanied by his beautiful mate. Over the years he had stored all the knowledge he could about his Kagome's likes and dislikes, at first unknowing even as to why. Certainly watching the look of thankful amazement now present in her deep blue eyes made each tidbit of retained knowledge worth his while. Planning on being the sole cause and recipient of such a beautiful smile for the rest of his long life, Inuyasha pushed the robe aside and presented his female with his most favored and important gift. Underneath the brown wrapping was a mating collar, emblazoned with his personal insignia, showing her willingness to be his mate.

Opening the third and final package, Kagome gasped in recognition. She knew very well what this was and what it meant for Sesshomaru had forcefully warned her against accepting such gifts from other males. Similar to his older brother's offering, Inuyasha's collar was banded in leather and looked as if it would hold tightly around her throat; however, adversely, the tiny metal symbol dangling front the collar's front was not a blue crescent but a red sword. Now she had understood the significance of the moon on Sesshomaru's mating claim collar, but the red sword was a bit confusing. Yes, Inuyasha wore red and yes he carried a sword but so did many others in the feudal era. However, she chose not to question or even comment upon his choice of visual representation for fear that he would respond in an overly dramatic fashion.

It was only when Inuyasha raised his own collar to the female's neck and undid the newly formed metal clasp in preparation for its adornment that he noticed something presenting a very strong blockade within his plans. Perhaps he had not noticed it before for he was too caught up in her body or perhaps his bastard brother only made such a thing visible to those who challenged his claim openly but before his darkening eyes was the claim of another male. It was common knowledge that a female could not wear the claim of two males; originally this had stemmed from the fact that there had been many more males than there was females and a male in had to fight for his bitch constantly but it had been carried out partially in the spirit of faithfulness among mates of their breed. Although the collar itself in a physical means infuriated the hanyou, the fact that she had accepted it willingly was simply too much. An unwilling female would be surrounded by a slight black energy but his Kagome was wrapped in no such thing.

Snarling as words failed to come to his lips, the presently full demon hanyou pushed his bitch forward onto the compressed dirt floor of their home, pinning her flat on her stomach underneath his much larger personage. As angry hands wrapped around the girl's neck in a vain attempt to remove such a magically sealed object, the furious inu was unaware of the deepening puncture wounds that his claws inundated upon Kagome's delicate throat. _:: Ours! Our bitch! Remove! Punish! Rival! Mine:: _Such thoughts rampaged through his head with the ferocity of a thousand demons, pushing his control further and further until he was finally reduced to leaning forward and gnashing his teeth against the unyielding leather wildly.

Searing pain shot through Kagome as she gritted her own teeth, grinding them together uncomfortably, putting in a hopeful bid against tears. Losing her short battle, Kagome ceased her struggling under the enraged inu and simply let her weary head rest against the dirt. Everything just seemed so utterly hopeless at that moment, even to the girl who held enough optimism for a group of six. Wishing she was in the arms of the western lord, Kagome admitted to herself the futility of her current situation. What was there she could do? What was the point of even fighting it anymore?

Inuyasha, preoccupied with his unrelenting tirade of bites and slashes against the current contrary object of his frustrations suddenly stilled and let out a low toned growl. Raising his silver head slightly he locked eyes with the being across the field moments after taking in the familiar scent. So the almighty lord wanted to play? Fine, this way such nuisances would be dealt with early; the only way he knew of to remove such a powerful connecting collar was to end the life of the giver and oh, would he enjoy that task.

With Sesshomaru:

It had been only mere moments before the western lord came fully upon the girl's scent trail, leading him deeper into the thickening forests. Blood hued crimson eyes scanned the path before him as leaped forward. Inwardly his blood beast was howling its anger, not at the girl this time but at his logical captor. Truly, if they had been two separate entities his rational side would have been left in a bloodied heap many miles back. What in the seven hells had he been thinking? They had _their_ female in _their _home, even in _their _bed and still had failed to claim her. And why? Because wanted her trust; bellowing in frustration, the lord snapped his jaws aggressively only to find that tearing himself apart was not an option his civilized side was partial to.

Many females were taken against their will. Had he not pushed since the first moment he had seen her those several years before to simply mate her on the spot? No, first it was the denial then it was the anger and then the obsession. While Sesshomaru's sense of royal pride had scolded him for not simply presenting himself to his chosen female, his demonic ego tore at his soul. As soon as she came into sight he would throw her down and plunge himself into her heat like things should be done. There would be an eternity to regain her favor, how impossibly moronic of him not to see such a thing before.

Eyes ablaze with fury but set in a hungry determination, Sesshomaru stopped dead in the middle of the clearing. Insurmountable anger pumping through his youkai veins, his face began to elongate in the more canine manner of his true form while his back arched and wildly whipping tail became visible. Luckily for the forest inhabitants, the jealous male only transformed partially for a full regression would have sure meant death for every creature within a hundred miles. His journey had come to a screeching halt as he had picked up the lingering scent of his Kagome in the small glen…mixed with that of his lowly bastard brother.

Bounding forward once more, absolutely decimating every object, creature or feature in his path, the dog prince barked his displeasure. Had he not already made it clear to his subordinate sibling that the miko was indeed _his _bitch? Had he been unclear in his promises of immeasurable pain and cold misery should he ever so much as lay eyes on _his _female again? Snarling at the woman's stupidity as he ran, his demonic ears were slightly satisfied by the sound of crunching bones underneath his feet. It was at this moment his feral self chose to painfully claw his insides, reminding him that _he _had been the reason for her swift and unmentioned departure.

Retorting back to himself the mannered half of his being shot off quickly about how this had begun with his ridiculous instinctual jealousy. It was only then that both personalities came into agreement. He should have known his jealousy was justly dealt. As long as the filthy half breed lived on he could not be the sole occupant of her heart. Howling he resolved to kill every male that had every laid eyes on his mate before locking her adulteress being in his chambers. He had vowed to her, himself and his ancestors that his faithfulness to the bitch would never waver and now he meant to ensure the same for himself. The thought of his woman's coveting lust only threw more fuel to the fire.

Yes, he would simply force himself upon her as soon as he disposed of the hanyou. Both of his dominating personas demanded insurance that such a thing would never happen again. Although he had never originally planned to take a mate in his life, he was sure this was the most trouble any male ever had keeping his chosen female to himself. And he would keep her to himself. As he suspected the mutt's trail was leading straight to his ungoverned territory, the forest of Inuyasha. Was the boy so naive as not to realize that such a sanctuary would be the first place searched? His sibling's idiocy was just another reason that he should not mate such a valuable woman. How in Kami's name did any of these unwarranted suitors of hers plan to protect her and provide for the way he could? Another snarl spilled from his lips at the danger his female was being put in.

Having stopped his transformation at midpoint the lord of the west could feel his blood boiling beneath his pale flesh with unsuppressed energy. Even in this form his soul called for a full release of its power, a full reign of the body it was housed within. It was only centuries of training and pain that had instilled in him enough control for such a situation, although even that was draining quickly. Muscles burning and bunched with tension, he barely felt the debris laden ground beneath his swiftly moving feet. A small portion of his suppressed thoughts wondered if such constant interference was a sign form the mighty Kami that this union was not mean to be.

However, it was only minutes before he could hear the howl that had ripped through him at the thought. No, this was _his _female and this was meant to be. No deity however powerful would dangle such a perfect female before him only to snatch her away in the long run. It was not acceptable. Even if the entire population of Japan, hell even the unknown world, frowned upon their joining he couldn't care less. Every aspect of his being, both tame and wild, knew that what he felt for his bitch was love; he would never give it up. There had been very few beings on this earth that had been blessed with the gift of his affections and none so much as his future mate. No, Sesshomaru had long ago conceded never to question the correctness of such a love, but to simply live it.

During this inner monologue, his inu was having a conversation of its own. Mostly it consisted of listing every possible form of pain and suffering he could inflict upon any male that had ever been graced in his Kagome's presence…especially Inuyasha. As he began to whiff the fresh scent of the female he was fast approaching, he let out another bark at the small tinge of sickness that was present within her usually calming fragrance. It had been one damn night and the dirty half blood had already managed to push an illness upon his woman.

It was only when he practically grounded himself at the edge of a glen that he finally caught sight of _his _female. Crimson met crimson as he locked eyes with this disgrace to his noble blood line. Pushed further towards the edge at the blood he sighted seeping from wounds at the girl's neck and dripping from the mouth of his rival, Sesshomaru stepped forward and made his presence known. The fact that his usually fiery female did not even raise her raven head to glance at him shot a jolt of panic through his system. He would need to make this quick so that he could check on his woman.

Combined Perspectives:

Catching the eye of his elder brother, Inuyasha growled lowly, a warning amongst inu youkai to stay away from one's mate. However, the even more guttural sound being created by the Taiyoukai was enough to give contradiction to the statement. Amongst the children of Inu no Tashio it was quite clear that this was to a battle to the death; neither was willing to revoke their claim to the mesmerizing bitch in the slightest. Neither would readily accept defeat before death. Both were perfectly willing to spill any amount of blood it may take to ensure their mating to the chosen female.

Shooting up from the ground where he had been lying, Inuyasha jerked the bloodied miko up before him, her back to his chest. After making sure his arrogant sibling had a full view of his conquest, the hanyou turned demon used an angrily shaking clawed hand to pull the girl's chin to the side. While his other arm was banded around the young woman like steel, stilling both of her twitching arms, he was careful to lock eyes with his brother in an open sign of challenge before smashing his lips against those of his captive. Once he saw she wouldn't open her sweet cavern to him willingly, he resituated his arm and tightened it around her chest, effectively blocking off all air the girl tried to inhale. It took only moments before the girl was gasping for breath. Inuyasha, taking advantage of the manufactured situation, shoved his canine tongue down his female's throat thinking smugly as to how he yet again held something his brother wished for.

But this was about much more than a family forged sword, or even the pride that came with wielding such a blade; this was about staking claim to the one each male desired to live out his days with. Both knew that this female was worth more than any weapon could ever be, worth more than _any_ possession could be. Hoping to anger his brother into a quick and unplanned attack, Inuyasha nuzzled the miko Kagome's neck in a silent gesture often used when comforting one's mate. The normally half breed inu knew that in this form he held as much power within him as did his brother. Feeling the need to taunt his sibling, Inuyasha growled out a raspy, "Submit," before watching the girl drop to her knees with her silky black head bowed.

Never before in his long life had the lord of the west been angered to a point of inalterable silence. Not even a furious roar or bellowing howl of rage could escape his tightly constricted throat at the moment. Not only did the filthy half blood have the nerve to make physical contact with his bitch before his own eyes, but he dared to control her submission with some form of incantation or enchantment. No, **_he _**was the only one this female would honor in such a way, only **_him_**. At this moment in time, not only did Sesshomaru see his inadequate outcast brother coveting **_his_** female, but his subconscious mind conjured images of every other male that had ever dared and would ever dare to steal her from **_his _**arms. Unable to watch one more second of the disgusting display of pseudo-domination from his younger brother, the lord of the west sprang forward with the ironic agility of a feline. Although his powerful arms were now slashing threateningly in the space the half blood had stood, he had accomplished nothing in the way of extricating his female from the mongrel's hold.

In the mirthful red eyes of Inuyasha, this was simply too good. His icicle of a brother had for once in his life lost all composure and was acting like the reckless warrior he was forever preaching detestation toward. Truly not willing to pass up this chance at goading his frustrated elder brother, the half breed spoke in a tongue used only by those of ancient inu heritage. Although unable to speak as such in his normal demeanor, it was simply an instinctual twist to his invigorated demon blood. _"Mine. Female my mate. Always mine. Bitch **loves **me."_

Kagome, who heard nothing a symphony of strangled growls and low animalistic snarls, shivered at the realization that they were obviously speaking of her in such a way so she could not understand their words. Although the blood loss caused by the fang formed wounds on her neck was not nearly enough to cause her any serious damage, it was just now beginning to make her a bit light headed. At first sight of her love, she had thought herself to be suffering from a wishful hallucination; that was until, well, Inuyasha showed signs of awareness to his presence as well. Astounded that he had come for her after the harsh words that had been spoken between them, the priestess could feel tears pricking and welling at the corners of her blue eyes.

Enraged at the hanyou's ludicrous declaration, the dog prince, master of the palace moon, snarled openly. _"Fool. She loves you not. The bitch's heart is **mine**." _However, even he was aware of the evening of the playing field that had taken place for their final battle. In his full demon form, the same blood that flowed through his own royal veins sustained this unworthy mutt. Knowing he would not be able to rely solely on his superior strength and agility for this, their final quarrel, the noble inu knew his best chance of winning was faith in the years of training that he had gone through, seeing as his brother had suffered no such thing.

In a precisely calculated maneuver, Sesshomaru feinted a quick dash to the right of the hanyou. Everything working perfectly, Inuyasha put all his guarded focus to the right side of his person while the lord quickly snatched the female from his exposed left. Sesshomaru, stopping several feet away from the damnable half blood he had the misfortune to call a brother, turned about face. Locking eyes once more with the now even more thoroughly infuriated inu hanyou, he drew a light path against the girl's jugular with his long tongue.

Kagome, who was simply happy to be back in the arms of the youkai she loved, turned to face the primal prince and clasped onto his white silk haori tightly. White knuckled, she let several tears run down her smudged cheeks before feeling the warm embrace of Sesshomaru encasing her form. Even to one so innocent as Kagome it was clear that this was to be a battle to the death and, truly, she didn't know how to feel. On one end was her first love, her best friend for so many years…and on the other was the demon she wished to spend the rest of her life with. A rational part of her was trying to push forth the reasoning that Inuyasha had tried to force himself upon her and therefore deserved what he got; but, the more emotional side of her still forgave the hanyou like she had done so many times before. Quite sure that she didn't wish for either of them to die, the priestess fumbled within her own mind for some course of action…but found none.

Even as the rumbling purrs reverberated within his toned chest in a subtle attempt to calm his female, Sesshomaru could feel the utter indignation of his blood beast. He was the alpha of their pack and this insignificant male thought himself worthy enough to even propose a challenge for **_his _**female? Although even he frowned upon the massacre of a member of one's own pack, this called for nothing less. Eyeing up the rival in question, he decided that he would have to count on wit to some extent. Even in this feral form he prided himself upon being more sensible than the hanyou.

Pushing the female to the side, both males discarded their weapons in preparation for a formal battle in which the prize was the right of mating claim. Both struggled to tune out the increasingly weighted sobs of the woman, fighting back the urge to simply break off and comfort her like a true mate should. However, both were well aware of the significance of this battle; both were willing to put their lives on the line for this. It was indeed Inuyasha, impatient as always, that threw out the first attack, dragging his elongated claws across the flesh of his chest before hurling his infamous blades of blood. Attack met only by a smirking Taiyoukai, arrogantly commenting to himself about the audacity of the pup before him, Sesshomaru simply swiped the vaguely tangible blades away with the dangerously pointed tips of his claws.

Soon, it was the hanyou that was dodging an attack, poison claw. Leaping nimbly away with just as much grace as his elder sibling, the half blooded inu dashed forward in his usual erratic manner. The blurred form sped forth at a surprising speed, even for a demon, before jolting to a stop and attempting to push a clawed fist into the abdomen of his kin. Warrior's instinct having warned him of such an attack, Sesshomaru easily caught the boy's fist, applying enough pressure to turn human bones to dust, before delivering a well placed roundhouse kick to his rival's upper chest. Seeing his brother face down, the western lord could simply not forego his canine instincts and pounced on the back of his brother, leaning slowly toward his furry white ears before hissing, "_Mine. My bitch. My female. Die half blood." _

Words giving him the extra adrenaline of his heightened anger, Inuyasha gathered his muscled arms at his sides before propelling himself backwards harshly, now finding himself on top of the tumble. Returning the favor he barked, "_No. Mine. Was always Mine." _In one quick movement, the brothers had buried their death warranted claws into their sibling's flesh, Sesshomaru feeling the flood spew forth in warm waves from his brother's chest while Inuyasha relished in the sound of tearing skin that came from his brother's shoulders. Neither could contain their roars of anger and hissed promises of death as horrified sapphire eyes gazed on.

Feeling the intense inclination to hurl all the ramen broth she had consumed earlier that morning, Kagome turned her face away from the bloody scene before her. No matter how this ended, it was still going to hurt…the question was, which outcome would hurt the worst? In a moment of brazen disregard for her own welfare, even more so than in normal circumstances, the priestess thought of simply running out and pulling the two away from each other before realizing that plan was immeasurably futile. What good could she do? The only thing she could think would be to send out a wave of purifying energy, however, she was fearful she would end up killing them both.

Rolling off of each other, the panting inu brothers raised their bloodied and battle torn bodies from the now crimson ground and glared at one another in pure loathing. If the hate in the air could have been bottled, one would have thought it an almost visible phenomenon. In hopes of confusing his little brother, Sesshomaru threw a harshly forced left hook, seeing as the muscles in each of his shoulders were torn terribly, before spinning himself around in a whirlwind motion and landing an accurately measured kick to his right jaw , connecting his leather booted foot with a snapping jaw bone.

Inuyasha, who experienced a moment of completely blinding and mind numbing pain, could feel his dislocated jaw swinging heavily from the tendons that would normally enforce it. As metallic, coppery liquid poured from his fanged mouth, the hanyou gripped his own chin and in a display of immense masculinity snapped it back into place with a sickening suction like sound. Fury pulsing through him, the hanyou threw himself at his brother, catapulted by the tightly coiled muscles in his legs. Actually managing to tackle his sibling to the ground, he snapped his bloody jaws in anger before sinking his fangs literally into the lord's chest. It was only then that he leaned down and whispered into the shell of his elder brother's pointed ear, "_Don't worry. Be more careful when put mating bite on my female." _Perhaps the battle would have ended at that moment had Kagome not let out an alerting cry. Nodding in the direction of the bushes, where a familiar form stood. Both brothers froze, catching the unsettlingly familiar scent of clay and earth wafting from the east. Two silver heads were thrown up before the bodies attached found footing quickly. Before them, stood the undead miko, Kikyo, Inuyasha's first love…and, it would seem, a severe threat to their precious little female.

Chocolate colored eyes surveying the scene before her, the former guardian of the shikon no tama drew her usually passive face into a slight frown. What in all the hells were these two imbeciles thinking? Fighting over this twit of a girl…pointless. Even behind her subconscious mask of anger she knew her long dead heart held jealousy…jealousy for the happiness that Inuyasha had found in this girl. It wasn't per say that she loved the hanyou, for she would openly admit that she had never and would not ever find more than a passing fascination in the half breed; after all, humans and demons, even half demons, should not mix. No, the feeling came from a part of her that had always longed to live a life free of responsibilities, the opportunity to search out her own happiness. But, as the fates would have it that was not to be her destiny. Hm, no, the game ended here. Voice cool and collected, a good imitation of the western lord's, she squinted mercilessly at the trio. "Well, Inuyasha, I do see you have forgotten your promise to me. Worry not, though, for I will be sure to remind you of it momentarily. And you, lord of the west, I had thought you to be more sensible than to squabble with your sibling, your younger sibling at that, for such a little ninny." Eyes shifting into the aforementioned miko, Kikyo took pleasure in broadcasting her feelings. "My, my Kagome, the lengths you must go to get these two all riled up. I would have thought even you had more honor than to bed both brothers. Hm, it seems I overestimated you."

Resounding growls tore from both males at the new female's insinuation that their chosen bitch was anything less than pure. Making eye contact for only a brief second, the two instinctually agreed to put off the continuation of their battle until this new development could be dealt with. Always the first to speak, yet sadly last to think, the half inu snarled at the vile woman before him. _"Leave. Now." _

Laughing mockingly, Kikyo put on a visibly overacted pout and turned once more toward the hanyou, "Why, Inuyasha I thought **you **of all people would be at least slightly pleased to see me. What ever did I do to deserve such harsh treatment?"

Digging his claws into his own straining wrists in pure anger, Inuyasha was quick to share his thoughts with the small crowd that was gathered around. _"Wench, I said leave. Not heeded my warning; insulted my bitch. Leave **now**."_

Quick to back his brother up for once, Sesshomaru moved forward until his torn shoulder brushed against that of his brother before proceeding still further. _"You know not what you stepped into, stupid whore."_

Even though she was indeed a bit shaken at the infamously vicious lord's threats, Kikyo chose not to acknowledge the emotion for fear of pushing things further from her control. Reminding herself of the original plan, she smirked. This could work to her advantage after all. Pulling an arrow from her back satchel fluidly, she knocked it and drew back the string of her bow. "Well, as I had only planned on there being two deaths to account for on this day, I feel I must get rid of the excess first." Shot poised at the lord, Kikyo waited for a reaction.

Even as he watched his former love pull her bow taught, he knew what she was about to do. It seemed as if she had forgotten that he knew her…knew her mind and her heart. Seeing the woman quickly pivot and alter her aim, Inuyasha made his choice. Oh, he had known she would turn her attack to his precious Kagome, he had simply not thought she would be that swift. As the arrow flew, he watched the look of utter horror on his sibling's face; it was the most emotion he had ever seen grip his brother. His eyes confirmed it; his own brother, Sesshomaru lord of west, prince of dogs and master of the palace moon _loved_ Kagome. But, both knew that even with his demonic speed Sesshomaru would have no hope of saving the loving miko.

Eyes once more flashing back to their warm golden hue, Inuyasha was pulled out of his feral state. Any and all traces of anger, lust, greed or obsession that had filled his system for the past weeks were pushed aside and he was left with only his love for the miko Kagome. The miko who had cared for him when he was injured, stayed by his side even in the face of his unfounded anger, whispered words of comfort each time he was taunted for his blood, stood up for him against countless youkai…gave her heart to him without asking for anything in return. He knew that each time he had left her for Kikyo's barely living corpse it had crushed her pure heart, yet still she had smiled at him and only wanted him to be happy. She had always wanted him to be happy. Never had he thought there would be anything that he could do for her to show his love like she had done so many times before, but he knew now. Even if it would mean giving her to another he would do this…to make her happy.

All these thoughts flying through his mind in a matter of seconds, the now sensible Inuyasha, being much closer than his brother, tossed himself in front the arrow that had been meant to take the life of his love. The second the arrow tore through him, shredding several vital organs in his chest and leaving a dark miko energy imbedded within him, he remembered this same event 50 years ago. When he had been struck so long ago, he had been afraid to die; now, though, he knew he could die in peace. The knowledge that he was truly loved by one person, his Kagome, would be enough to provide him with the sanctity of eternal rest.

All three beings left standing were in state of complete shock. It was Kagome who came into her faculties the quickest and bounded over the body of her former love that now lay face up on the bloody ground. Dropping to her knees, she gazed tearfully into the hanyou's fading amber eyes, realizing that he was once more back to himself. Caressing his cheek with a feather light touch, the miko buried her head into the boy's bloodied chest. It was only then that she remembered her healing abilities and lifted her now lightly glowing hands to friend; but she was stopped.

Able to feel the life dwindling from his paling form, Inuyasha caught Kagome's wrists and tilted his silver haired head back to gaze into the sapphire orbs he loved so much, one last time. In his heart, he knew that if she revived him, Kikyo would most likely kill them both. At least this way there was a chance she would forget about his Kagome and simply drag him to the underworld with her. "No…Kagome…don't," he managed to rasp weakly. Sensing the panic and confusion rolling off the girl, he carried on with his arduous words. "She'll just…hurt you…too. Things are…better…this way."

Several yards away, Sesshomaru, who was still keeping his now decreasingly red eyes on the gawking clay woman, heard the words of his brother. And surprised didn't even cover the emotion felt course through him. Even if Kagome did not understand the meaning behind his younger brother's words, he did. The hanyou was willing to die to protect her? Of course he would have done nothing less, but it shocked him at the nobility of the act. Did the mutt know that the healing sword of their father would not save him? Did he not realize there was no pulsating energy coming from the great weapon? The sword _always _worked on its own will. Catching his amber eyes for one split second before they returned to the miko, Sesshomaru understood his sibling's message. In that moment, he had entrusted him with the girl's life, even knowing that it meant giving her away.

Kagome who didn't understand why her friend would want to die simply sobbed harder and pressed her cheek to his. She could feel his life force draining from his aura, becoming weaker with each passing moment. Looking to him for some type of explanation, she finally understood his reasoning. "Kikyo…she will…just do this…again. I can't…take the chance...that it could be…you…lying here." Then, for the first and last time in his life Inuyasha said the words that he had always longed to speak, "I _love _you…Kagome…"

Understanding that his mind was set, she bent down and chastely kissed the hanyou who had seen her through so many times; an understanding kiss that she had longed to give and he had longed to receive. It was true, she loved Sesshomaru now, but Inuyasha would always hold a big part of her heart. There would be a small part of her that would always wonder what would have become of them if her half inu friend had spoken these words sooner. Struggling to wrench open her constricted throat, she gasped, "I've always loved you, Inuyasha. And you know I _always_ will." The next moment passed slowly as she watched the hanyou fall into death with a peaceful smile on his face.

Kikyo felt no remorse at the loss of life. Actually, she was thrilled…well, as thrilled as a dead woman gets anyway. This was what she had been waiting for, forget the foolish girl and the arrogant lord, she could finally step into an eternal rest now. A life for a life; even if she had found out some years ago that it was not the boy that had betrayed her trust but Naraku, the hatred had still bubbled within her. Striding over to the body with all the cold feminine grace that she possessed, Kikyo shoved the girl out the way, ignoring the growl from the western lord.

Kagome watched weakly as the undead priestess finally channeled her soul to its final resting place in the fiery depths, all the time holding tightly to her best friend and first love. Hearing the cutting voice once more she gazed into Kikyo's brown eyes, "I have no use for such a brat like you. I have what is mine." The ground, which had already sunken into itself opened up until flames licked at the fallen hanyou and the feet of the dark priestess. In the blink of an eye they were gone completely, leaving Kagome to let out a strangled and indefinable scream of sorrow. However, it was only when she felt the missing part of her soul return to her body that the reality of the situation hit her head on.

Raising the girl into his arms, the mighty lord of the west let his mate silently sob herself to exhaustion before he felt her breathing calm as she slipped into the world of slumber.

It was odd. In life his brother had earned nothing but his complete and utter loathing, but in death however he found respect for his estranged sibling. True, normally he would be jealous that the mutt even touched his female, but for some reason the expected emotion never came. Perhaps it was because he was no longer present to pursue the miko, or perhaps it was because he had saved his Kagome, finally proving himself worthy of their father's noble blood. But, on the reverse he now felt an even deeper rage at the thought of anyone touching the girl his brother had given his life for. No, even if he hated the hanyou he was still honor bound to keep the girl safe, though he would have done so on his own. A proud ruler, Sesshomaru valued his honor second only to the female in his arms. Now that he realized it…everything seemed to have become secondary to his beautiful mate. Carelessly ignoring the wounds he had sustained in battle, the lord gathered his ki silently and levitated himself towards the palace moon, thoughts of an immediate mating ceremony running through his mind.

Miles Away:

Standing in the darkness, a quite rejuvenated spider hanyou gazed into the mirror that used to belong to his white haired avatar. Mirthless laughter spilling forth, he turned away and strode into the lonely halls of his manor, finalizing his plans.

A/N: Well, there you go. I've always hated Kikyo so I decided not to give her any reconciliation whatsoever. Thanks again and please review for me.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: I don't have much to say this time; just read and enjoy! Thanks! Oh yeah! This is a pretty long chapter, I didn't want to cut it short so I just kept going. I would like to add that I do not own the Froggy Went a Courting lyrics and give full credit to their creator. For all of you who'll become thoroughly disgusted with me for adding them I'd like to let you the song has been added as a gift for a friend of mine who is going through a very hard time right and happens to love Jaken.(Note: About four or five sentences that are written during the mating tradition description, are, although in my own words, somewhat loosely based on an idea I obtained while reading a Cynthia Eden novel Kiss of a Vampire. For future reference, I give all just and due credit to her and her wonderful literary works.)

With Sesshomaru and Kagome:

Creased black soles of worn leather boots paced briskly through the grand entrance hall of the house of the moon. The feather light contact with the shinning marble floors emanated not a decibel as the lord of the west passed by with a raven haired miko nestled snuggly in his protective muscular arms. Stealing a quick glance, gold eyes made a swift journey from the woman's form back to the path ahead, making sure to warn away any approaching servants. No, he truly was not in the mood to deal with any of their domestic foolishness; all he wanted at the moment was to reach his bed chambers and to tend to his slightly wounded mate. A snarl curled upon his lips at the memory of the hanyou, whom he now respected at least in some form, tearing away at the delicate, milky flesh of his female's neck. Other than that he had already come to the conclusion that she was slightly taken to one of those annoying human ailments, a 'cold' was it; and had sustained minor cuts and bruises from simply being tossed around in the previous hour's manner. Finally reaching his destination after bounding up several hundred spiraling stairs ten or twelve at a time, the inu youkai shouldered the door open and imposed himself upon the threshold. Several timely strides brought him to the bed where he deposited the young bitch before gliding over to one of the less visible cabinets.

Withdrawing a shallow copper basin and several cleaning cloths, he hastened back to the side of his silk cover futon, kneeling stiffly next to the night stand where for as long as he could remember there had always been a tin pitcher of fresh water. Obviously it had been replenished every day over the years but until now he never truly paid it much mind. Emptying its contents into the bronze dish, the lord of the west sighed. It had been a long time since he had tended to any wounds. Hell, he was demon there was no need for him to waste time bandaging himself up when he was bound to make an excessively stealthy recovery anyway; besides there had never been anyone truly worthy of his medical attentions. Well, Rin had been an exception but the girl had never been hurt seriously by any means. Centuries ago when his father had insisted that he learn at least the basics of battle trade medicine, he had thought the old man foolish. His young mind had failed to see all the advantages that such skills could present to a warrior.

However, he had gone along with and could now for the first time express truthfully his gratefulness. Sure he always had many healers on hand and they were all very skilled, but there was a serious problem. Not liking to have any lustful female's hands on his person, he had quickly dismissed all of his woman shamans and was left with only the male populace. In his line of thinking, it would simply not do to allow the hands of any other male to come into contact with the precious flash of his females no matter the circumstances. Clawed hand soaking one the white clothes before wringing it tightly, he gently turned the little woman's raven head and began to dab at her would delicately. His tenderness surprised even him, for he had not until this moment been aware he could be so conscious of his touch.

Although the spare thought of his oncoming weakness for this female crossed his mind, he quickly dismissed it knowing in all absolution that it would spread no further than her and any future pups they might have…and Rin of course. Damn, he truly had been changed; a subtle part of him insisted that it had been for the better while a more resilient effort by his conscious mumbled grumpily about how the mighty had fallen. A slight wince from his patient brought him back to reality as he pulled the blood soaked cloth away from her neck before dipping it back into the pinkening water. Always an impatient demon, the inu prince decided to forego the traditional human healing period and leaned forward slightly to close the wound with his healing saliva.

As the stale taste of his half brother washed over his pallet in detestable waves, the usually dignified lord was tempted to spit in a manner practiced only by the most foul mannered of boar demon. After making sure her neck, and all the other minor wounds on her beautiful body were taken care of, Sesshomaru rose to his full height and shed his tattered silken garb. Although he normally would have left the pile of blood stained fabric at his royal feet, on this day he picked them up before tossing them briefly out the window. It wasn't like he could repair them or even needed to do so, and besides he had decided that he would quite thoroughly insist that no being other than himself enter this chamber and disturb his future mate.

Never one to worry about the injuries he sustained from battle, Sesshomaru was satisfied to feel the thin layer of skin that was already reemerging across the rough claw marks he had received at the hand of his brother. After slipping on one of his many silken white outfits and tightly securing his usual blue and yellow obi over his lean hips, the inu youkai gave one last approving gaze to his mate, just to make sure he hadn't missed anything in her treatment before exiting the room briskly and heading to his personal study to make up some of his missed work.

Once again entering the space that had been his sanctuary for so many lonely years, the Taiyoukai tossed himself into the cushioned chair behind the great wooden desk, now loosing all the grace his noble upbringing handed him in public places. Closing his eyes he realized that he no longer had to be completely composed in front of _everyone, _no, his Kagome would understand and that was just another reason why he would always feel so at ease in her presence. Even if the rest of the world thought him a cold blooded killer, it mattered not seeing as the woman he cared for most would know the true him.

Casting his warm amber eyes downward, Sesshomaru scanned the top to his desk. The neatly stacked papers, sharpened quills, antique ink wells and was sealant seemed almost foreign to his gaze. Naught but weeks ago he had spent nearly every waking hour that he wasn't patrolling his borders sitting behind this very desk, scratching away feverishly at parchment after parchment of western legal and diplomatic documentation. The acute remembrance of the constant restlessness that would plague him during those long hours made him grimace. It was only after he had finally brought his tiny onna to his home that he had taken to avoiding such work at all costs. All of sudden such papers seemed… silly …and it was quite a conundrum to the lord for never before in his life had anything ever seemed or even slightly resembled 'silly' to him.

He straightened his back a bit; able to feel the pull of his taught back muscles, subconsciously wishing a certain pair of holy feminine hands were her to work the knots out of his tendons with long, gentle fingers. However it was another matter entirely that held his attention at present. A day or two before, just after her acceptance, or seeming acceptance of his suit, he had sent out several dozen hurriedly scribbled notes to all of the major and minor lords of Japan; and, if his calculations were correct, which they always were, his guests should be arriving tomorrow in expectation of a ceremony. Hm, not that he minded. No, the sooner he had made his claim over his chosen mate official the better. Besides, what objections could she possibly have?

Even the part of him that was aware of the hurt he had caused her with his jealousy and mistrust refused to embrace the idea that she would shy away from him after he had come so far. Certainly everything would go as planned, and oh had he planned. It had taken him only a seconds pondering to find that he wished to make their mating ceremony a day his little one would never forget. A small smile crossed his thin, pale lips as he recalled the arrangements he had made. Upon his direct orders, the western garden, the one that he had reseeded especially for her before she came, was to be decorated as their primary location. Of course he knew Kagome well enough to know that she would never wish to mar the immediate beauty of nature with anything artificial, and had thus ordered that the space be enhanced with blossoms and buds of all kinds.

Although he was never to 'stop and smell the roses' as some said, he found that these days he quite enjoyed the colorful buds for they reminded him of his miko. Both so beautiful and delicate, hypnotizing yet resilient; it was perhaps the thing that he found the most comfort in these days when her direct presence was missing. As done traditionally, the ceremony would take place over several day, the first being used to announce the matching privately to the lords and their mates, while the second was a public announcement and a time for open challenges. It was only on the third and final day that the actual mating vows would be given and rituals be completed.

Rooms had already been set aside in the East and North halls of the castle, leaving his own western chambers without disturbance as well as the southern wing. After he had mentally reviewed all things involved from meals to seating, he was left only with his thoughts about the actual ritual. As a canine youkai he knew what he would be expected to but by the same token wondered if Kagome would even understand. Traditionally, the male was to stand with his intended in front of whosoever wished to be present and begin by symbolically presenting himself for her inspections.

Usually such inspections started by a public viewing of the male's raised, dangerously pointed claws trailing gently over the frame of the female, showing his ability to protect yet promising that no danger would befall her or any future pups they might have by the same token. Fangs would be bared for all to see, signifying the male's competency as a provider for the every need of his mate before a decidedly more canine affection was displayed by way of an affectionate lick to the cheek of one's bitch. Instinctively this would signify the male counterpart's dominance over the relationship and if accepted would be returned with some sort of submissive gesture. Most other aspects, such as clan tradition and exchanged promises tended to vary between matings, but were more often than not present in some form. After that, the actual union was to take a place privately, a sacred and respected event between youkai of all types. It was truly an unspoken rule that a disturbance of a couple's first joining was indeed punishable by death.

In a way, the young lord was surprised that he had actually found a female he deemed worthy to be his life long companion, and yet a certain part of him always knew that even his nearly intolerably demanding and domineering soul had to have its partner. Upon hearing other's talk of their unions and the deep bond they felt with their partner, Sesshomaru had always been among the first to silently scoff at the absurdity of the whole idea. He had always found himself to be quite sufficient and self sustaining without a needy bitch tagging along in his shadow. However, it was now that dog prince saw the wisdom in the words, "One doesn't miss what one never had." It was true; before this spunky little spitfire he had known not even the slightest desire to be committed to anyone. Yet, now the thought of being without her disgusted him as much as his previous thoughts of being with someone did. Fate was really a two sided coin.

Not wishing to delve too deeply into his bottomless psyche, the lord pushed to regain his distinct awareness of his surroundings before his come across a rather unsurprising discovery. All of his previous thoughts combined with open challenge of his brother earlier had served to arouse his mating instincts. In fact, the heat that now pooled in his loins was enough to make his lean hips jerk upward sporadically in a frivolous attempt at relief. Years of priding himself on his sexual control fell away in an instant as he felt the distinct and oh so vivid need to sheath himself deeply inside the moist heat of his female. It was only the combined knowledge of her current health and their fast approaching mating that kept his from springing forth from his office chair and pouncing on the female he desired so.

Before he realized the his actions, the lord had jerked his clashing obi open roughly and dove his large hand into his silk hakamas. The shock of his unrestrained behavior was outweighed only by the heavenly feel of his palm against his straining shaft. Knowing that he couldn't stop himself now even if he wished to, Sesshomaru resigned himself to enjoying the feel of his own touch and adamantly shoved his dignity to the corner of his hazy mind for later consideration. Using his wide thumb to smear the healthy dose of precum that wad beaded at his slit over the phallus, he gave himself a tight squeeze before sliding his had down his length only to yank it back up before repeating the action. Although the pleasure that surged through his being was intense to the point of being soul searing, he knew that it was nothing compared to what the slick passage of his female would feel like.

Grunting lightly in exertion, hips now surging forward to meet the rhythm his hand had set for him, Sesshomaru closed his eyes and envisioned his large member plunging in and out of his female as he looked down at her face, contorted beautifully with pleasure. Her sweet feminine mewls and gasps tickled his pointed ears as he sped himself up, feeling his orgasm fast approaching. All too soon, milky white jets of his life giving seed were spurting forth from his twitching organ, painting the expensive dyed rug beneath his feet with a clouded shade of white. Being an inu demon, his load was unusually large and continued its dispersal for several minutes before he dropped back into his seat, panting slightly as the snarl that had been forced from his tightly clenched throat had died down to nothing. Although sated, a small part of him was howling in frustration about the waste of his seed; each jet of cum should have been splashing against the walls of his woman, hopefully impregnating her with his first heir.

After a few minutes of recuperation from his intense release Sesshomaru reached his now sticky hand into the topmost drawer of his polished desk and pulled out a white silken handkerchief decorated in each corner with a small, blue crescent. Mere moments after he had finished cleaning himself up and disposing of the small cloth square he had wiped himself clean with, the familiar sound of short, light footsteps flooded his elven ears. After plastering his indifferent façade across his face once more he waited patiently until a speeding blur of white and orange attached itself to his lower leg. Although the girl couldn't see it with her little face buried in the fabric of his Sesshomaru-sama's white hakamas, a warm smile showed faintly upon her hero's serene, demonic face.

Looking down at the human child, Sesshomaru felt the urge to sigh. Some days he wondered if this little girl knew just how much she meant to him. Although he would never admit it to anyone other than himself, she had been his reason for getting up so many mornings when he had at first tried to resign himself to the fact that Kagome was his brother's. Of course, days of torture turned into months of torture for him and soon he refused to believe his own ridiculous lies about any false claims the hanyou had over the miko. His train of thought may have led him through the following months of anger and obsession, but was forced to an untimely halt at the voice of the little human girl, "Sesshomaru-sama, is pretty lady still here?"

The lord of the west inwardly chuckled at his ward's words before managing to draw out a measure, "Yes, Rin, Kagome is still present and shall remain so. Why is it you ask?"

Large brown doe eyes looked up at him as he listened to her excited words, "Rin wondered if pretty lady would play with her!"

"Perhaps, Rin. For now Kagome is resting." The girl seemed satisfied with his answer and gave a toothy grin accompanied by a quick nod before running to, he assumed, play about the gardens like she usually did. He was about to continue with his thoughts but once one again interrupted by the return of the little human girl.

"Rin is sorry to interrupt Sesshomaru-sama…but, will pretty lady be Rin's new mama?"

A bit shocked by the question all the lord could think to say was, "We will see," before the girl was once again gone. It was an interesting thought and he honestly wondered what his little Kagome would have to say on the matter. As his sensitive demonic hearing picked up the rustling of silken sheets in the direction of his bed chamber, signifying the awakening of his mate, he resolved to think more on the matter later before pulling himself upright and beginning to cover the short distance between his study and his bed chambers.

Outside of the Bedchambers of the Western Lord:

Kneeling upon almost non-existent knees, a certain toad gumi was scrubbing away vigorously at the cold stone floor. Having been under the service of his lord for many, many years now he knew instinctively that he wished not to be bothered. Now was most certainly one of those times; the aura of irritation that he had been so clearly radiating upon his return to castle sent most of the servants, demon and human alike, running in the other direction; thus, hw as left to clean up the small drops of blood that had been trailed through the halls on his own.

Wrinkly green hands slopped more warm, soapy water onto his white rag before once again tossing it back against the stones. Mechanical in his movements, the toad's mind as drifting away in thoughts of his own. As of late, he had decided that he would ask his lord for leave of his station. It wasn't like Sesshomaru-sama was particularly fond of him anyway, in fact, he had a feeling that the only reason he was still around was as an undeserved favor to the new lord's father. Either way, it no longer mattered for he had found his true calling as a minstrel.

Days of endless conversations with himself had him completely convinced he had the voice of a siren and carried the creative muse of the heavens. He had created what he found to be the most epic and touching piece of composition that had ever graced the ears of man, demon or even hanyou. Not to mention, he had found himself an excellent jig to go along. Deciding a little practice couldn't hurt, he started up in what he deemed to be his most attractive voice:

Froggie went a-courting and he did ride, um hm.  
Froggie went a-courting and he did ride, um hm.  
Froggie went a-courting and he did ride,  
a sword and a pistol by his side.  
Froggie went a-courting and he did ride, um hm.

He rode up to Miss Mousy's door,  
a place he'd often been before.

He sat Miss Mousy on his knee,  
said, "Miss Mousy, will you marry me?"

"Without my Uncle Rat's consent, (unh-unh!)  
I would not marry even a peasant.

The Uncle Rat has bought her gown,  
its a piece of fur from an old greyhound.

"Oh, where will the wedding supper be?"  
Way down yonder in a holler tree.

The first to come was a little white moth,  
she spread out the table cloth.

"Oh, what will the wedding supper be?"  
"Dogwood berries and catnip tea."

The next to come was a Bumblebee,  
who danced a jig with a nimble Flea.

The next to come was a Big Black Bug.  
he danced a jig on the living room rug.

The next to come was a Big Black Snake,  
he ate up all the wedding cake.

The next to come was a Big Black Cat,  
he ate up old Uncle Rat.

The Frog and the Mouse, they sailed to France.  
That was the end of that romance

As he started off once more on his verses, a certain inu lord maneuvered himself around the scene carefully, not for the first time questioning the sanity of his dwarfed retainer.

Inside the Bed Chambers:

Stretching sleepily, still not quite sure whether to fully commit her aching body to reality or to simply turn herself over and give in the immeasurable exhaustion she was feeling, Kagome came to the gradual realization that she was once again in the palace that she had just recently become so found of. Its claming effect upon her had at first startled her, for her strict and sole expectations of the place included nothing a feeling of entrapment and foreboding. Pressing her eyes tightly together once more, the miko finally opened her sapphire orbs to regain her vision. A smile and sincere smile crossed her pale face as she looked about, taking in each object, left just as it had been when she had last inspected as such. At that moment a slight chill washed over the girl in a sudden gust, causing her small fingers to clench around the silken fabrics that adorned the futon and quickly burrowing beneath their warmth.

It was nice to be back yes, but her glee full a few good notches at the realization, or supposed realization that she was alone in her happiness. Maybe it was just wishful thinking getting the best of her, but she had thought her silver haired savior would have at least been near her upon her awakening. Sighing deeply, she tried to force through herself the realization that just because he had come for her didn't mean that he sincerely cared for her. For all she knew he was just retrieving what he saw as a prized pet. Scowling at her own mental comparison, the futuristic priestess wondered what the demon she now felt so deeply for was doing at the moment. It was at the back of her mind however that one nagging thought seemed to keep from completing any one idea.

Was this just going to be another repeat of her fling, for yes she did now consider it a fling, with Inuyasha? What did she mean to him exactly? Sure he had explained mating behaviors to her, but he had never really mentioned any feeling or motivation behind such choices aside from instinctual protection and jealousy. Could she truly take another heartbreak like the one she had had to face to down? Would he turn out to be another… Inuyasha. The reality of the day's previous ventures hit her swiftly and with much force. Her hanyou companion…her first love…her best friend was…dead. It all just seemed so unreal in the forest that she had half believed that it was simply another one of her more vivid nightmares. But no…this was for real; he was really, truly, honestly gone. And why? Because of her!

Guilt painted itself across her feminine features, sending a numbing sensation throughout her whole being. His last words, his admission of his love, rang through her head like a mourning bell tolling its sad serenade. Soon, guilt was replaced with anger, anger at herself. How could she? She really was everything Kikyo had accused her of wasn't she? She was such a faithless little whore that…no! She was stronger than that! As the opposing reasonings of her conscious shot hotly back and forth, paths formed by warm salty tears could be seen outlined on her flushed cheeks. It was only as she replayed the events in her head that she remembered the smile that he had given her before he had passed. It hadn't been like any other smile she had ever seen from him…it was just so peaceful and serene. Had he truly been that comfortable upon his departure?

Anger turned to confusion as she realized that he had died…happily? Was that possible? For a flitting moment she questioned her own memories before conceding to the fact that he had been fulfilled in his last moments. Maybe she would never know why he had felt so and she knew for a fact that she would never truly let go of the happening, but could she truly be miserable about it? He seemed happy, just like she had always wanted him to be. How could that be a bad thing? But yet…her thoughts screeched to a sudden stop on the matter as she caught a shadowed figure emerging from the shadowed corner of the room. Momentary pulses of fright shot through her until she recognized the silhouette; it was Sesshomaru! Any and all joy she had felt at his appearance quickly faded out of existence however when she saw the murderous look his amber eyes held as he approached her.

The lord of the western lands, who had concealed himself in the shadows upon her awakening curios as to what she would first do, finally departed from his corner to approach his female. For a mere second, their eyes locked and he could see all of the worry and fear flood from her deep blue orbs only to be replaced with relief and contentedness. As part of him purred at her open emotions, yet the more dominant part of his being couldn't help the angry look that came to his elegantly sculpted face. It was obvious in her expression that his mood hadn't gone unnoticed as she crawled timidly backwards upon his nearing. It took only a few impatient strides and a second of arrangement before he was sitting on the futon, his female seated on his lap and trapped tightly within the muscular confines of his arms. Placing his squared jaw atop her head and resting it there he spoke, "Onna, this Sesshomaru knows not whether to beat all hells out of you to teach you a well deserved lesson…" At this his paused once more and turned her towards him. "Or to kiss you."

Apparently she had made the decision for him for she quickly leaned in and pressed her lips softly over his own. Unwilling to be controlled by his bitch, he ran his tongue forcefully over the seem of her lips. Not bothering to wait for her permission, he tilted her midnight head backwards and began to savagely explore the sweet insides of her open mouth. It was truly all he could do to keep himself from throwing her small, pliant form beneath him and mating her on the spot as he felt her small pink tongue timidly push against his own. It was only for the sake of his own sanity that he broke their connection and once again gazed into her predictable blue orbs. No, that could wait until later; right now there were things that he needed to know and let her know.

Bending his neck to rest his forehead against hers, he took a deep breath before he continued on with what he was going to say. "Kagome…_my _Kagome…this Sesshomaru regrets his earlier actions. A sincere effort will be made to prevent it from happening to a further extent." There, he had said it…well, at least some watered down version of it. Honestly, he knew that she deserved to hear much more from him but his pride wouldn't let him break down those walls just quite yet. Counting on her understanding, he looked to her once more and waited for any sort of response that would lend him concession to her thoughts.

A moment passed in silence as the miko pondered his words. It certainly wasn't an 'I'm sorry' and if it had been any other person she most certainly would have demanded more, but this was Sesshomaru. It was just who he was; she couldn't ask for more. It was evident even in his usually expressionless eyes how much it had wounded his ego to make such admittances and the underlying hope that she would understand his true meaning. Yes, this was the demon she loved saying he was wrong in the only way he knew how….and she wouldn't ask for anything more. Smiling lightly at him, she nodded her understanding and hid her face in the silk haori that covered his well defined chest.

Releasing a breath had had been unaware of holding the dog prince nuzzled the neck of his beloved gently before moving on to the next topic on his list. "Koi, tomorrow is the set date of our ceremony, do you feel well enough to continue with such?" Seeing her small and almost unnoticeable nod he continued, "In that case, this Sesshomaru has taken care of all the needed arrangements and has only to tell you that there will be several traditional rituals we will have to complete. This Sesshomaru suggests only that you follow your instincts and speak your heart." Even though the word sounded foreign when rolled from his own tongue, the lord of the west continued at her small nod of agreement. "Our guests will be arriving in the morning. However, more importantly, this Sesshomaru requests that you tell him the events that took place during your time with the hanyou."

He listened patiently as his female recalled each detail of her stay, trying his best not to howl at the blatant indignities that had been forced upon his mark. He could feel the blood boiling in his pulsating veins, screaming at him fro release, release that would ensure pleasure for both himself and his chosen bitch.

The need to restate his claim on the small female in his lap tore viciously at his insides, but he held himself back. He would indeed reaffirm his mating rights to the female but this time needed to be different. In all of their previous sexual encounters he had been primal and needy, demanding she pleasure him to the full extent of her capabilities. However, this time combined with his raw sexual need for the woman but he seemed to have forgotten her pleasure completely in their past excursions. It was far past time to prove to his little woman that he, as her male, could take care of her physical desires; it was, and had always been, an important thing to establish between inu mates. Even though he knew he would have to wait until after the upcoming ceremony to take her fully, that didn't mean he couldn't show her pleasure in other ways.

Shifting himself, he brought his heated gaze to that of Kagome, clearly stating to her his wishes. The tangy, sweet scent of her arousal spiked, tearing a lusty growl from his elegant throat; it was only when she started to run her shy hands over his body that he gently pried her away from him and positioned her face up on the now tussled silken sheets. Rolling on top of her, he propped himself up on his elbows, reveling in the feel of her luscious bosom pressed firmly against his own muscled chest. The slight grinding of her hips as she arched into him nearly made his tightly reigned control slip, but he quickly stilled her with a heated look and an admonishing growl. This was his time to show her the pleasures she had gifted him with, she would simply have to lay back and enjoy. Before long she seemed to get the message and relaxed herself back against the futon mat as he started to plant light kisses over each part of her face. He first pecked each of her eyelids gently before kissing her forehead and giving her cheeks a few affectionate licks and nuzzles.

After several minutes of that, the lord looked down upon his mate's flushed face once more before sealing his thin lips to hers in a passion filled kiss. The second her oral cavity was opened to him he traced each one of her dull human teeth with his long canine tongue, committing their feel to memory. After he was sure his thorough inspection had covered every inch of her delicious mouth, he traced his tongue along her jaw line, placing the occasional nip here and there before soothing over the slight red marks he left. Soon he was tracing her jugular and sucking greedily at the flesh of her neck, delighting in the small mewls and moans of pleasure that he picked up as he continued. Once again traveling father down, he gave a gentle lick to the hardening bud of her left nipple through the fabric before slicing completely through any garments between him and her flesh, tossing them aside carelessly.

The rosy blush on her face brought a smirk to his own as he began to suckle greedily on her breasts as his pups would some day, all the time keeping eye contact with her. Momentarily he began to tease the surrounding flesh, tracing light kanji patterns across her other breast before moving downwards even further to her stomach. Meanwhile, Kagome herself was about half crazy. She could feel the script he was now tracing over her flat stomach with his rough tongue. Soon realized he was spelling his own name, almost as if trying to make her subconsciously aware of his claim over her. However, she had very little time to think on the matter for soon she felt him moving away from her; the pathetic whimper she was about to let loose died on her lips as she felt his large, clawed hands running up her smooth calves closely followed by his wet lips.

Kissing up her legs, licking the sensitive skin on the inside of her knee cap, the inu's mouth watered as he caught his first close up glimpse of his woman's glistening pink folds. He could truly say it was the single most beautiful sight he had ever viewed; the small hood that protected her feminine pleasure nub was drawn back to reveal her swollen pearl as her nether lips were coated with moisture just for him.

Teasing the apex of her thighs, he felt her buck up towards him as his hot breath fanned over her most secretive place, the place that belonged to him and him alone. Deciding she had been through enough torture for one day, he ended his teasing abruptly as he drew his rough tongue across her wet slit. Kami did she taste delicious! Burrowing his nose into her folds he was almost pushed over the edge himself in the rapt ecstasy of her feminine fragrance. He soon realized that he had at some point begun stroking his own aching organ in time to his increasingly pressured licks. His raspy name on her lips only made him jerk his hips into his own hand harder as he finally sought out her small feminine opening before ramming his tongue inside her warmth. Curling his oral organ inside her hot sheath, he began to feel her inner walls contract and knew she would soon spill herself. Correct in his assumptions, it was only seconds before he was blessed by the sound of her satiated wail and his fanged mouth was flooded with his sweet honey. Only moments later he spilled himself into his own hand.

Both still panting slightly, Sesshomaru quickly stepped out of his now sweat and seed coved clothing only to lie down once more beside the female that he adored. No words were needed between the two as they cuddled together and fell off into a blissful sleep in one another's arms. They were together once more, blissful in their ignorance of the numerous obstacles that were to come their way in the next several days.

That Night with Naraku:

Jolting awake suddenly after quite an erotically stirring dream, a certain raven haired spider hanyou could feel almost every muscle in his toned body twitching from his slumberous release. Feeling his released semen coating the inside of his thighs and smeared against the fine furs he had been resting on, the infamous half breed pushed himself upwards on his forearms before swinging his muscled legs over the bed. Still in the buff, the sweaty half demon rose to his full height before taking a few long strides over to latched balcony door, which he proceeded to open and step through. The chilled night wind hit his sweat stained body, giving call the shivery bumps he could feel rising on his porcelain pale skin.

However, this deterred him little as he walked forward a few more paces, leaning heavily against the cold stone railing; it was only the human portion of him that brought about such a mortal physical reaction, luckily his demonic energy more than strong enough to make sure that he wasn't affected by such trivial things as temperature. Crimson eyes scanning the dark land below quickly, Naraku pushed more weight against the moist stone. These dreams were nothing new, in fact he had been plagued with them since first saw the girl; but, his previous nighttime fantasies did nothing to compare to the vivid experience he had conjured this night. Strengthening his resolve, he tightened his jaw and promised himself that all would become a reality soon.

I the daylight hours he had hidden himself away, tediously pouring over possible plots for the retrieval of his bitch. In the end, he had come to the conclusion that he was going to need to take a much more direct approach to the matter this time. His last attempt had been sloppy and wasted much time, nearly resulting in his own death. A smirk crossed his fanged lips as he pictured the face of the western lord when he made his reappearance. Yes, that would be quite satisfying; and to top it all off, he had stumbled upon a new well of power.

Thanks to the magically enchanted mirror that once belong to his reabsorbed white-haired avatar; he was already aware of the mating ceremony that was to take place come sunrise. The memory of Kanna made him twitch. The pale child was a little too disturbing for even him, even worse he never knew what she was thinking. At least with the wind witch he was aware of her brazen hatred. As they said, the most dangerous enemy was always the one least obvious. Thankfully, the mating ceremony would last for several days, thus giving him at least twenty four hours to come up with a suitable plan of action. Most likely, he would decide to make his presence known at the last second, taking advantage of the element of surprise.

The hanyou figured that battling the lord with his newly found strength would present no problem; it was simply the thought of letting his little one in the presence of that mangy god for a moment longer that caused him to second guess his plan. Perhaps it had something to do with his pseudo-rebirth but he now found nearly every waking second filled with both conscious and unconscious thoughts of the lovely woman. It was the sole knowledge of her existence that had given him the strength, well perhaps not as much strength as a sense of vengeance, to maintain his existence. It was inevitable that he would now have to keep her locked away, a vision of beauty for his eyes only; the mere thought of letting her out into the world, letting her escape him, was enough to send his senses into overdrive with rage and possessive determination.

During his observance of the inu prince through the mirror earlier that day, he had in fact found himself so ungodly enraged at the sight of such intimate touches been scattered across the innocent flesh of his female that he had broken and just entirely dismantled nearly everything he could get his clawed hands on. Even now, one could clearly see the large, fist shaped indentation on the hard stone of the wall coupled with the scraps of broken furniture and splintered wood that littered the ground. If anything, his new power surge had seemed only to make him more temperamental and responsive to his emotions… well certain one anyway. It wasn't as if he'd be 'tiptoeing through the tulips' now every time something went his way, no, it was more of an aggression to his negative stimuli.

Even know, before the battle was even known to its other participant, the odds were tipped in his favor. There was no way now that the dog's infamous darkly energized sword could harm him. Why? It was quite evident that even the lord would be hard pressed to come across a blade that could hold a candle to his own new hellish energy. Chuckling mirthlessly, the spider praised himself on his choice of mate. His little Kagome would make a beautiful dark queen for him and their offspring would be powerful. Soon she would to trust him, to give herself to him completely. However, it was not only that which he wanted but he was now thoroughly set on obtaining the undying love and devotion of the pure miko. Oh how he wanted others to look at him with the envy he had felt for first one inu brother and then another. He _wanted_ them to make jealous fools of themselves; all through his life he had always seemed to have an unstoppable urge to obtain that which all others wanted. This was no exception.

In Route to the Palace Moon:

Taught, firm legs pushed the wolf prince swiftly over the plains that would lead him to the home of the western lord and….Kagome. It had been only a night or so ago when he had received that sloppily scribbled invitation, scrawled in the dog lord's own hand, to attend the mating ceremony of the western lord and the miko Kagome. Although the thought had never been far from his mind during the past week, seeing it written down so plainly had been too much for the wolf prince. Life had been miserable for the cocky ookami since his brief confrontation with the couple.

The moment they had left, he had raced to his own personal den to brood. Thoughts of his first meeting with the gorgeous priestess flew through his mind at a speed faster than even he could sprint. Sure, at first the only reason he had taken her was because she could see the shikon shards and he had hoped to gain more power and protection for his pack but things were different now. Even with his own pride set aside, it hadn't taken him long to realize that he was infatuated wit the girl. Perhaps it was the fact that one of her first actions had been to throw herself into the path of danger for the safety of the little kit she traveled with or maybe it was her open defiance of him, either way it was lethally attractive. Besides, the members of his pack already acknowledged her as their alpha female and with wolves that was nothing to be taken lightly.

The battle with the birds of paradise had only confirmed his suspicions that the little raven haired beauty was indeed a powerful onna. It wasn't fair, as far as he was concerned; he was the first one to last one to be seriously considered. It bothered him that everyone seemed to take his claim on the girl so lightly. Yes he was young and yes he was arrogant, even he could admit to that, but did they all just assume that made his devotion less real? Did they think that his outward displays made him incapable of love? How could they think that?

It frustrated him greatly that even his loving Kagome seemed to share the same mentality when it came to that topic. In fact, that was the reason why had worked so hard to become a better leader…he had wanted to impress her. It now seemed as if all of the studies and training he subjected himself too had amounted to nothing. Was it that she didn't think him mature enough to father pups? How could ever convince her that that wasn't the case? Sure he had been a bit immature at the time of their first meeting, but they all were. They had all been so young; it seemed as if the past few years had aged them all a century.

Sighing, his thoughts carried him to next action, which had been to search lands trying to find a suitable mate. In the end, it proved as futile as he knew that it would. No female could even hold a candle to the flame that was his Kagome. They were all either too submissive, too scared, too weak, too selfish too…blah. Maybe it was as the said, nobody could compare to your first love. It was shortly after that that Koga had realized that he didn't want them to. He didn't want another female. He didn't want just any pretty face that happened to stroll by. No, he wanted the same woman that he had always wanted. What had he been thinking giving in so easily to that damnable dog? Of course he could provide for her! Maybe not in the extravagant ways he could, but still Kagome had never seemed to be one for material possessions. The fact was that there was no way either of the ridiculous inu brothers loved the priestess more than he did. That should be what counted right?

There was no way that he could possibly stand it any longer; the whole situation was tearing him apart from the inside out. It was then, in mid stride that he resolved to challenge Sesshomaru formally for rights to Kagome. He knew it was selfish; maybe she had found happiness with the dog; although the thought disgusted him on numerous levels, and it would be ill advised to leave his pack without a leader should he die in the challenge battle. But, yet, what was the point of living if the only onna that he loved and ever would love was in the arms of another? Decidedly, the ookami sped up his strides, quickly closing in on the white marble palace that was looming in the distance.

With Sesshomaru and Kagome:

Standing stiffly in the lavish entrance hall of the palace moon, Kagome sighed. She had known that this whole mating ceremony thing wasn't going to be exactly her cup of tea but this was ridiculous. It was the crack of dawn that morning when her canine companion had taken the initiative to shake her gently awake before dressing both himself and her in traditional kimonos of the west. Normally, she would have been quite objectionable to being handled in such a manner and dressed up like a doll, but on this particular day it had simply been too early for her to care. After a quick morning meal that they had eaten in silence, Sesshomaru had led her to their current position, in which she had stood greeting what seemed like an infinite number of representative lords.

It wasn't of course they weren't interesting, for they were indeed…well, some more than others, some were just a bit creepy…but there were just so many of them. Never having been one for public appearances, a permanent rosy blush had been painted upon her smooth cheeks for the entire morning.

Surprisingly, she was in tune enough with her future lover to be able to easily tell which of the attending rulers had thought capable, which he thought vile and which simply bored him. It was so different from a week ago at which time she had thought him to be an emotionless gargoyle…and attractive emotionless gargoyle. It was now that she truly saw and was able to appreciate how open he had been with her when it came to his emotions. Perhaps it was better in the long run to have a lover that was a little under responsive than one that would break down in tears at every comment that was thrown towards them. Several moments ago, the ever stoic Sesshomaru had informed her that they were waiting only on one more arrival and that soon a midday meal would commence before the two of them retired away from public spectacle until evening. Her impatience was quickly washed away however as the last of the group finally _did _make his appearance.

Sesshomaru, who never been fond of house guests in the first place, stood close to his intended, breathing in her calming scent in an attempt to at least slightly relax himself. The older ruling pairs did not bother him for the most part; it was their unmated sons and their lustful glances toward his chosen mate that had put him on edge. It wasn't until their final guest, the young ookami prince that had been a former suitor of his mate's stormed into the room however that things became more serious. Instead of the traditional bowing greeting the wolf strode forward, his anger perfectly detectable to all of the many nobles in the room and growled lowly at him. "I have rethought the revocation of my previous claim and have decided to withdraw it. I, Koga prince of wolves and lord of the East, challenge you, Sesshomaru king of dogs and lord of the West, to battle for mating rights to this female."

The gasps that were caught by his elfin ears were nothing compared to the bellow the silver inu wished to release at that moment. How dare this pups challenge him so openly? Did the fool not understand that he had given up all of his former rights completely? Could he not scent the distress that this was causing the young priestess? Just as he was about bark out an angry, negative retort his inner demon surged forth, accepting the challenge. "This Sesshomaru shall humor you with such." His primitive side insisted to him that this was necessary, necessary to prove a point. Not only was he obliged to defend his honor in front of his peers, but he needed to demonstrate to the bitch that he was willing to fight for her.

The mate of one of the elder lords, the sub-lord of the central lands to be exact, could feel the fear and confusion rolling of the young miko's body in thick, nearly suffocating waves. Shaking her think hair, she approached the girl, hoping to explain the situation since neither one of eth challenging males seemed to even notice her at the moment. And they thought they were suitable mates for the pure priestess…ha! Clearing her throat, she made sure she had the girl's attention before beginning to speak. "I can sense your confusion young one, please let me try to explain the situation to you somewhat. As I shall assume you know, prince Koga has just made a formal challenge to lord Sesshomaru over his mating rights to you. Come tomorrow, if tradition is followed, the two will battle for you; whomsoever comes out the victor shall take your hand in union. Hm, oh, the three of you will most likely spend the evening together…."

After the word battle, Kagome had pretty much tuned herself out. What was it with these demons and their incessant need to fight one another? She would have suggested that they all just get along like her mother had echoed to her so many times before, however she figured that in this situation that would be completely futile. Several moments later, all the guests went their separate was and she left the two males quickly, not wishing to have to converse with either of them at the moment.

After several hours of blissful solitude in the gardens, the young realized that it was time to meet her to 'suitors' for some kind of private dinner. Reentering the chambers she had originally been brought to, she looked quickly through all of the lovely silken kimonos that were neatly hung and pressed into the feudal wood box closet. As she silently cursed her luck with the male species, she pulled forth a simple black kimono with short sleeves that fit tightly around the hips and stopped several inches above her knee. Deciding to let her wavy hair down for a bit, Kagome pulled a delicate red flower out of the vase sitting on the marble vanity. The colors complimented each other nicely and although a bit self conscious as always, she figured that she at least looked presentable. Slipping on a pair of black indoor slippers, she hurried down the hall to where she knew the two males would be waiting for her.

Said males, were both pacing angrily outside the doors of the dining hall, every so often casting wicked glares upon one another. Soon the pacing stopped altogether and the whole ordeal became a staring contest, in which the point was to intimidate the other male away from the chosen female…whom subsequently wasn't even present at the moment. The wolf prince, young and less experienced in emotional control, was the first to let slip a deep throated territorial growl which was quickly followed up by a challenging snarl from the dog lord. In fact, by the time Kagome arrived on the scene the two could have probably been heard for miles. Clearing her throat hoping desperately to get their attention the priestess smiled, "Um…how about dinner? I'm starved."

Sesshomaru was the first to turn and lay his golden eyes upon the female that _would _be his and almighty Kami did she look delicious at the moment. His inner beast agreed adamantly and urge him to go forth and claim what was so obviously his. Koga on the other hand, was quite taken by her appearance but pushed forward immediately to get in a closer proximity to the holy beauty. Scoffing he decided to let the dog know just how serious he was in his suit. "I'm sorry Kagome, I'm sure this mutt has neglected to feed you and here I am holding up your evening meal." Throwing a wicked smirk over his shoulder he looped her hand over the crook of his elbow and led her past his rival into the dining hall.

Sesshomaru, who could clearly her Kagome defending him, smiled and followed closely behind the two before sitting at the head of table, Kagome on one side and Koga opposite her. Hm, soon the foolish would pup would learn just how loyal his mate was. Clapping his dangerously clawed hands, Sesshomaru summoned the kitchen servants who were quick to bring out a variety of foods before disappearing swiftly into the darkness once again. Good, they all knew that he preferred his help to be seen and not heard. Daintily taking a piece of sushi within his chopsticks, the inu placed it carefully in his mouthing signaling the okay for his mate and the bonehead to eat. No wonder why Inuyasha hadn't gotten along with this fool.

Swimming in tension so tangibly thick it seemed as if one would be able to slice through it with a knife, Kagome couldn't help thinking about Inuyasha. Seeing his older brother interact so similarly with Koga brought about a not so subtle ache in her chest. However a deeper downward spiral of her emotions was prevented when the voice of the ookami youkai broke through her thoughts. "Finally Kagome, we'll be able to start an alpha pack of our own." Feeling his hand on top of her smaller one and hearing a growl from the dog demon at her side she gulped visibly as he continued, completely ignoring the western lord. "We'll have to have at least 10…or 15…no, 20 to make sure the pack can survive. Just think of it Kagome, soon we'll be able to spend all the time together that I have so often promised you." As an after thought he added an arrogant, "You are my woman after all."

It was that last statement that pushed Sesshomaru to the point of smashing his fisted hand viciously against the table. "Enough, you will not speak to this Sesshomaru's mate in such a manner." Turning to the female in question, he added, "And _you_ will be bearing only this Sesshomaru's pups, make no mistake bitch."

"Hey," countered a fuming wolf, "There ain't no way you're doggy ass is gonna be having pups after I'm done with you tomorrow!"

"Hm, I would like to see you try to harm this Sesshomaru. If this Sesshomaru were in you're place he would be more worried about his own 'ass' as you so bluntly put it."

"I saw her first!"

"It is inconsequential."

"You're just jealous that she loves me you damn puppy."

"And you, wolf, are delirious. What makes you honestly believe you could provide for her the way this Sesshomaru could? Do you value her so little that you will force her to settle in some primitive hut on a mountainside?"

"Yo! I'll have you know dog-breath, that I don't live in no stupid hut! Wolves live in caves ya bast-"

Kagome who had had quite enough of listening to the two demons fight over her like she was some china doll finally cut in. "Enough! You're both being ridiculous! Obviously neither of you respect nor care for me enough to actually think of me as a person! What is it with you demons and your arrogance kicks? Do you two get off on this? Is this some huge game to you? Well! Don't just look at me. Answer me!"

Although both males were a bit taken aback at the young woman's sudden outburst, the western lord found it much easier to recompose himself than the wolf. "Calm yourself, Koi. This Sesshomaru will take whatever actions are necessary to protect you. The wolf will be dealt with accordingly."

Koga let loose a deep growl, but was wise enough to maintain his silence. The remainder of the meal passed quietly and soon it was time for the three to retire for the night. Knowing that they had to sleep in the same chamber, Sesshomaru maneuvered them to one of the palace's more lavish guest rooms; under normal circumstances he would have taken the little miko to his own chambers for the night but as it was he simply could not stand the thought of the wolf leaving his filthy scent upon everything. Irritated, he watched the wolf watching the silhouette of his woman through the shoji screen behind which she changed. A quick stride brought him close enough to wolf the be heard clearly but still make the remark unknown to the girl, "Wolf, this once you will not have your eyes removed from their sockets for ogling the form of this Sesshomaru's mate for it is decidedly all you will ever see of her. However, if this Sesshomaru catches you glance at her in such a lustful manner again, the decision may come to reconcile."

When Kagome appeared from behind the screens wearing a simply sleeping yukuta, she pointedly ignored both males before climbing into the giant futon that was placed near the center of the room and proceeding to find a comfortable position for sleep. Now, usually, she would have found it nearly impossibly hard to sleep with both males looming over her, however on this night fatigue beat out her instinctual self consciousness.

Said males moved very little until they could hear the even breaths of the tiny beauty echoing through their ears. It was Sesshomaru who made the first move towards the bed to encircle the female in his arms and take his own rest before his path was abruptly cut into by the cocky wolf. "Listen dog-man, if you think I'm gonna let you hold my Kagome all night ya got another thing coming! If anyone's going to be next to her, it's gonna be me, so step aside."

"Wolf, this Sesshomaru will not be so easily deterred. It was in this Sesshomaru's plans to be near the miko and it will remain as such, no opinion or mindset of yours shall alter it." Brushing past the bristling ookami, Sesshomaru removed his leather boots and outer haori before climbing into the futon next to the futuristic woman child. However, to his shock, the mangy wolf mirrored his actions and slid himself into the other side of the bed, leaving the miko sandwiched between their hard bodies. Intense amber eyes clashed with orbs of a determined blue, letting both participants know that this challenge was personal. As the girl let out a deep chested cough, both demons looked down in worry. Sure, that kind of illness would be nothing to worry about in a demon, but both had seen humans die from less. Questioning why she didn't let on as to her illness, the two shared their one and only moment of agreement. This whole ordeal was going to have to be taken care of soon so as to insure her health.

Pressing themselves tighter against her shivering form, the two canine youkai stared each other down and began to wait patiently for the coming dawn, the dawn where all would be decided between them.

A/N: There you go. Please review for me!


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Well, here you go. It might be a little bit until I get the next chapter out so please be patient. Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews; it truly does make writing like this a lot more worth the while.

In the Bedchambers of the Palace Moon:

Muscles stiff and patience wearing thin, the lord of the West bared his pearly white fangs in the direction of the wolf prince, a clear indication not to get too comfortable in this female's presence. No, this female was _his _and his alone. Several times during the night he had been on the verge of throttling the ookami but had carefully maneuvered himself in an arduous retreat from that precipice. First it had been the simple act of the younger lord snuggling up to _his _female as if it was his right or even to so boldly venture, his place. Then it had been the 'loving' look in those electric blue orbs as they had so gently caressed _his _Kagome's body with their inspection, tracing each curve of her voluptuous body as if in an invisible lover's caress. Even later in the night it had been the clear scent of the filthy wolf's arousal that had his vision bleeding to red and his claws nearly dripping with the lethal poison his body could so easily excrete.

The simple thought of _his _ gentle little mate spread on her back, thick black hair strewn around her like a demonic halo, with the wolf above her pumping himself to satisfaction had been enough to make his grip on the tiny miko increase tenfold. Trying not to wake her, he had clearly displayed his more dominant claim upon the female by curling her smaller personage into his own massive form, covering her completely with his scent. In turn the moronic pup had attempted to do the same, having now positioned them so that they were considerably closer to one another than either was comfortable with and most likely crushing the woman child in between them. Only then had the ever composed Sesshomaru let out a bit of his more feral side, rubbing his obvious arousal against the pelvic region of the bitch. The lord of the east had snapped his jaws in a blatant show of anger, but even he knew better than to attempt a similar feat in the presence of such a territorially possessive inu youkai. Once again locking his amber eyes with the sharp blue pair of the wolf, he resolved to simply wait for the girl to awaken.

Koga, who had also suffered a sleepless night, was practically reeling at the sight of another male wrapped so comfortably around the tiny frame of his intended mate. Didn't the blasted mangy dog understand that he had held claim upon the girl first? Did the damnable mutt really expect him to give away such a wonderful female so willingly? Sure, he had consented to the other lord's wishes at first, but to hell with it all if that mattered! He could change his mind whenever he damn well pleased, and did so very often. The only thing had always been absolutely certain about was the warm human woman in his arms. Sesshomaru could deny it all he wanted to, but Kagome fit perfectly by his side. Sighing, he realized that he had never liked the inu, even before they had come upon their mating conflict. The western heir had always been so cold…so distant…people needed a leader with heart and passion, not an icicle that remained frozen even under the most intense heat.

No, that wasn't exactly true. Sesshomaru did feel, despite his early misgivings upon the subject matter; he had in fact, with his own blue eyes seen the look the dog bestowed upon the little woman when he thought no one was looking. Under normal circumstances, he would have thought it a great topic for jest that the almighty lord jackass of the arctically infamous western lands had been finally brought to his emotional knees by such a tiny woman, but this was _his _woman. The woman that was going to bare and mother his pups, the woman that was going to be his mate; this asshole couldn't have her. No way in hell. Both lords might have continued to delve deeper into their own insistent minds had it not been for the slight stirring of the girl in between them.

Pressing her fevered face as deep as possible into the soft, light pillow below her weary head without actually making a head ornament out of it, Kagome let out a gasping inaudible moan. By all the Kamis did she feel awful. It seemed as if the heat that was so avidly radiating from her forehead would set the silken futon set ablaze any moment now; a raspy cough spilled from her lips, scraping painfully forward from her raw throat. What in the world was going on? It wasn't as if she hadn't had a cold before but this was pretty intense; besides back in her era she could simply pop out a couple of over the counter pills and be feeling back to her old self in no time. However, here she had no such luck. From everything she'd learned in the past several years about the feudal period, they were still afraid of taking baths everyday for fear of washing their skin away from their bones. Ha, even Sango was a bit wary about taking a bath each and every night; although, she had become more lenient to the idea as time went on.

Speaking of Sango, where in the world was the demon slayer? For that matter where were the monk and the fire cat? And what of Shippo? Her stomach twisted itself into an even tighter knot, practically starting her off on a fit of wracking dry heaves that she just narrowly avoided. What in the seven hells had she been thinking staying here while her little kit was out on his own without his mother? Mother? Wait…did she really see herself as Shippo's mother? Sure, she had always known that the little fox child was very dear to her heart and many had already mentioned her motherly antics around the kit but she never really took it seriously. Well, apparently her subconscious mind had done the exact opposite. Though, now that she thought about it, she would have loved to be his mother. Of course if there had been anything within her power she could do to resurrect his slaughtered family for him she would have hastily done so…but perhaps she could try to fill in the best she could. He was quite loveable after all, he got along so well with everyone in the group…with the exception of Inuyasha.

Inuyasha. The name struck her painfully in more places than she was willing to admit. From the moment she had first met him and released him from the god tree to the moment she had seen him give his life for her there had always been something between them. At first she had thought herself crazy, seeing as how he had tried to tear her body apart as soon as he had opened his eyes, but as time went on things got better and she understood him. She didn't know why. She would never know. Why she understood him like she did; it certainly wasn't as if she had been rejected by society herself…perhaps it was just the shared experience of being an outsider, for that is what she was in this era. The first few years of her journey had been spent in complete denial of that fact, trying desperately to find her niche in such an old fashioned world.

It was only time that finally taught her to accept the minute yet strangely apparent sense of isolation. However, it seemed as if Inuyasha had never gotten to share in the serenity she had found. The hanyou was forever angry about something. Angry about battles, angry about traveling, angry about being second best to his brother, angry at Shippo's mischievous fox antics…angry at her. Out of everyone, she seemed to be the only person that realized the true reason for his outbursts and it honestly surprised her. For some reason, she saw clearly how her friend had tried push away any emotions he had felt with the safe haven of anger, fearing the possibility of getting hurt. Now that she thought about it, the two inu brothers were more alike than she had ever realized. Both tried to hide their true feelings; one by striking out viciously at anything he saw as a threat to his emotional barrier, the other simply foregoing emotions altogether in hopes of creating a mask of indifference, both pushing anything that could hurt them away.

Had Inuyasha really thought that she would hurt him? Hm, of course he did, what else was he supposed to think? Everyone had turned away from him throughout his lifetime, even the woman he had once shared a love with. Even though he never let on, it was fairly obvious to her that Kikyo's unwillingness to forgive and forget even after the knowledge of Naraku's trickery had been revealed served only to further wound his fragile heart. Recently she had reasoned to herself that her feelings for Inuyasha were based on the portion of Kikyo's soul that had once felt for him, but she run into a slight problem with her theory about a day prior. Kikyo never loved him. She had said it. Inuyasha had known it. Naraku had counted on it. There had been so many times where she had just wanted to end the clay miko's miserable existence, more out of honest pity than any hatred she held for the dead woman.

It was her fault that he was dead. If she had only been stronger…better…smarter. Strong enough to break away from his hold, better at controlling her fiery mouth, smarter than to run off on Sesshomaru in the first place. Somehow, it seemed as if everything ended up being her fault. How could either of these two wonderful, much sought after men want to be with her? Didn't they realize that she was nothing but a loud mouthed, weak little wench? It did cross her mind that Inuyasha had spoken his love for her in his dying words…but this was different. Inuyasha had been her best friend, it had all been so much different. But even then there had been the many repeated times he would tell her how she was nothing in comparison to Kikyo, how she was ugly, stupid and useless. Even though she had denied his claims and stood up for herself, a sad part of her knew that every word he said was true. If she wasn't so sure of Sesshomaru's honor, she would have thought this to be just a sick form of demonic amusement. Still she didn't see how either could ever want a life, or even a family with her.

Family. Kami, she missed them. During her travels she had gone much longer without so much as seeing them than she had presently, but the past week had been so emotionally taxing that she just wished she could have her mother hold her or her brother play with her…even grandpa slap a few sutras on her. The thought brought her right back to Inuyasha. It seemed as if it was really all a vicious cycle, meant to bring her even further down on her proverbial knees. Trying to clear her mind, the young priestess arched her body in a very graceful, feminine manner, attempting to stretch out her sore and stiff muscles. She nearly let out a surprised yelp at the sudden realization that she was surrounded by two very muscular, warm male bodies.

Both inu and ookami had sensed the great waves of guilt and depression that rolled from her aura, at an almost mind numbing speed. Although Koga knew not what she was so upset about, Sesshomaru had a good idea. Even if she had only been with him in his home for a matter of days he had watched her enough to know that she was blaming herself for the death of his younger half brother. Sometimes, well most of the time, it truly concerned him how much she expected from herself. It had already crossed his mind that the cheerful front was only a divider between others and her own self doubt. Sighing lightly he decided that she would tell him such things in her own time and until then he wouldn't push her to admit anything she wasn't ready to. For once the first to speak he turned to Kagome, completely ignoring the wolf that also occupied the bed and said, "Come Koi, we shall get dressed and take our morning meal."

After quickly dressing, the trio sat in silence once again, eating their traditional breakfast. Well, at least Koga and Sesshomaru were eating. It had been immediately apparent to both that Kagome wished not to eat anything that morning and it increased the worry within them both. Neither of their pleas or even adamant insistence worked to force the young woman to feed herself. Sesshomaru, who was on the verge of a panic attack, apparent only to himself, almost called off today's match several times in hopes of rest for his precious mate. However, he had too much pride and too large a point to prove. He would just have to make this fast.

Entertaining similar thoughts Koga was a bit more visual with his own concern. If she had been his and mated with him already, he would most certainly have forcibly shoved every morsel of food present down her throat in hopes of breaking her of such a habit. Even though the wolf prince could clearly scent the girl's illness, his inflated ego had led him to another conclusion as to why her plate was still full. Obviously the bitch was worried for his safety. Letting out a reassuring growl and brushing his clawed hand against her cheek lightly, he heard and sharp and very distinct growl come from the western lord but pretended to maintain his state of obliviousness. She would have to learn sometime that her male was strong and able to protect her and as his grandfather had always told him, there was no time like the present. Of course the man had been completely off his rocker and short a few screws, but it didn't mean his advice didn't come in handy every once in a blue moon.

As both males resigned themselves to the fact that Kagome would take in no food, the pair stood. A wobbly Kagome was helped to her feet by the dog lord who in turn received a warning growl from the wolf. Normally he would have returned the boy's threat but on this morning there was a battle to be fought. Taking his intended by the arm and motioning for the wolf to follow, the three marched outside, where they found a crowd of very nervous looking nobles anxiously awaiting their arrival. The actual arena in which the battle was to be held was nearly one hundred centuries old, built under the rule of the mighty Inu no Tashio. Although it was simply a wide spread dirt circle, the area held a certain definitive elegance to it. As far as any of the spectators knew it had been hundreds of years since the ring had seen a true battle.

Those present had bowed their respect to the lord of palace moon as he entered the ring with his rival and female in tow. It was only when the eldest among them stepped forward that they settled themselves in comfortably for what was sure to be an exciting match, leaving the elderly dragon sub-lord Kio to hobble slowly into the middle of the ring. Truly ancient, the man had been around several thousand years before any of the other demons present were even born and commanded great respect from all. His traditional black and yellow male kimono came down only to his ankles, due to his tall yet hunched stature that mirrored the age foretold by the lines in his face. Although his cranium was devoid of any hair, the old dragon lord a long sweeping white beard of fine straggly hair that was currently being swept through the arena dust.

Finally reaching the contestants he stopped and eyed each male to make sure they were both physically suitable for mating. Both stood proud under his seemingly all knowing gaze and gave him their full attention as he spoke. "Lord Koga of the Eastern Lands, you have challenged Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands for mating rights to the shikon miko Kagome," at the end of his statement he gave a glance in the female's direction. Ah, if only he been a few thousand years younger he may have tried for the girl himself. However, even he could see the fire that smoldered within the aura of both challengers, as neither seemed willing to lose. "Before we continue further I shall ask each of you what you to have to offer Miko Kagome, if either of your offers seem unacceptable to me I shall gift your opponent with an automatic victory in an effort to assure the girl's comfort and protection. Koga?"

Cursing his luck, Koga gulped a bit knowing that he was about to be outdone by the lord of west. Sure the dog would enjoy making a fool of him but he knew that his beautiful Kagome cared not for such things. He could win her love without all the gifts and expensive gestures western males seemed to be so fond of. After all, the west had always been a far richer territory than the east. "To the miko Kagome I, Koga prince of wolves, offer the position of alpha female among my pack and all residents of the eastern lands. She will be given the protection of my pack and a comfortable home in the mountains where I reside." A small part of him wished he could add, 'and my heart' to the end of his weak claim but he knew that such a public admission would only mean trouble for him in the long run.

Kio, who had much practice at putting all things into perspective, nodded his acceptance to the wolf. The pup had a good heart and would give the girl all that he could; this was enough for him. Turning to the infamously icy lord of the west he inclined his head and parted his practically ancient lips, "Sesshomaru?"

Without so much as a moment's hesitation the Taiyoukai replied, "As this Sesshomaru's mate Kagome would be the Lady of the Western Lands, have a share equal to my own stature among the visitors to the Palace Moon, be gifted with the must luscious and fruitful flower fields of the west as well as any castle garden she so desires. This Sesshomaru will provide only the finest kimonos, most precious gems and anything else the priestess's heart should do desire."

Once again satisfied with the answer he was given, the elderly dragon lord gave a small nod to both contenders before delving into an explanation of the rules. "Following western tradition, the challenging match shall be fought only with physical attachments and energy based attacks, no blades," he eyed Sesshomaru skeptically who gave him a ruffled look before tossing his dark sword and its healing partner to the edge of the ring. Picking up where he left off Kio continued, "There shall be no dishonorable bows struck and I assume you both know that said fight will continue until either one of your deaths or one of your surrenders." Seeing both males nod he slowly took the girl's hand despite the growls he could hear at his back and brought her back to the outskirts of the oval fighting ring.

Kagome herself was having a bit of a hard time concentrating on anything right now as the pounding in her skull was so intense it seemed as it her head would simply detach itself from her sagging shoulders and roll across the ground ticking like a time bomb before exploding into a million little pieces. To make matter worse, such a strong guilt at the knowledge of such a fight over her useless self cranked up each feeling she was currently suffering through. Turning her clouded sapphire gaze to the challenging ring, the miko from the future tried her best to stay aware of what was happening in front of her.

Over confident, as was his nature, the eastern wolf prince was the first to break the morose circling pattern, letting it go beforehand for a cumulative two and a half turns. By the smug grin on his face it was quite apparent to each and every being present that the poor ookami didn't know what he was in for. Two strong bounds forward on his well muscles legs gave him enough momentum to toss his sleek, muscularly built body threw the air and rotate himself into what he so proudly referred to as his 'wolf kick'.

Sesshomaru, whose gaze had not for a moment left the his younger opponent, was quick to draw his own perimeter defense to a halt as the wolf stopped and flashed him a smug, toothy grin. As was the case in most of his recent battles, he had experience and age on his side; however, the wolf boy was certain to prove to be young and unpredictable… almost like his own younger brother. Such fighting styles, if you could even classify them as true styles, had always rubbed him the wrong way. A warrior was supposed to be calm and contained, exerting only the strength it took to win and reserving his remaining energies for future situations. Not having much more time to think, the western lord was quick to sidestep as the ookami launched himself through the air, coming to land only on a stretch of empty ground.

A feeling of complete irritation clouded Koga's mind as he felt his ever so carefully placed kick meet nothing but air. Why didn't the stubborn mutt just surrender? What was the point of making him waste his precious time when he could be bedding his bitch at the very moment? Spinning himself so that the inu was once again in his direct line of vision, the wolf prince crouched low and glowered at his opponent before using the immense strength of his legs to propel himself forward, fist raised and teeth bared. Unfortunately for him, the elder lord was quick to once again dodge his attack, annoying him greatly with the lack of effort he displayed in doing so. He was the lord of the eastern lands dammit! Nobody, _nobody_, made him look like a fool especially when the only woman in the world that he wished to impress was sitting a mere twenty feet away. After several more fruitless attacks, he finally realized that the dumb dog was just trying to get him to wear himself out and become easy prey. Wanting to pout at the seemingly unfair tactic the inu was using, Koga pulled back and resolved to wait for his opponent to throw out the next move.

The dog youkai, who had indeed been planning to have the wolf demon wear himself down, soon realized that no such thing was in the forecast. Hm, perhaps the wolf was smarter than he thought. Then again, the imbecile had dared to challenge him openly for rights to the bitch he had already claimed as his; how smart could he really be as such was the case? Deciding the stalling had continued long enough, Sesshomaru went to position himself for his first offensive move of their spar, drawing his two foremost claws together and materializing his energy whip. Feeling his ki stretch out in the tangible extension of his usual power, he cracked the whip just to add to the boy's intimidation before lashing out to in the appropriate direction.

Koga who had to force down a gulp at the sight of the lord's infamous energy whip, watched the other youkai carefully and quickly jumped to the left of where the whip's first lash had singed the ground. Looking over his shoulder at the area he mentally winced at how strong his opponent's energies must have been to cause such a tumultuous effect. With a growl, he dodged the next two strikes, almost loosing his footing during his second dodging maneuver. For a moment he had been quite pleased with himself; that was until he saw the impassive lord semi-retract his weapon before throwing himself into what almost looked like a pirouette. So taken by the odd movement, he failed to realize that the whip of the western lord was now spinning full circle, quickly approaching his tanned skin.

Graceful as always, Sesshomaru spun himself fast enough as to keep a good visual target but slow enough to let any connecting blows he may have made linger. Several moments passed and he was about to withdraw from his attack until he finally felt it. The tiny vibrations that swam their way up his strong arm told him that he had finally struck the wolf. Keeping his posture up for several more turns, the western lord suddenly planted his other foot on the ground, effectively making himself stationary once more before observing his victim. The wound was only superficial of course, but the momentum of the first blood was a powerful thing. Usually, the one who drew forth the first blood would also draw forth the last.

Koga hadn't realized the absentmindedness of his previous actions until he had felt the searing pain of his flesh being lacerated as the long strand of demonic force came into contact with his tender skin. Even when his opponent stilled and the blows stopped for a bit he could still feel his rival's energy searing away at his flesh, almost as if it was melting his wounds. For a second he wondered if there was any of Sesshomaru's telltale poison within his whip but was fast to dismiss it in favor of his own attack. Using his speed advantage, the wolf ignored his own injuries for the moment and placed himself behind the moment too slow lord, all the time appearing to his audience as a tornado like cloud of dust. Using the palm of his hand, Koga connected a stiff blow to the exact place the inu's spine met his skull, stunning him to the point of falling down face forward into the dirt circle of the arena.

Sesshomaru, who had not at all expected such a tactical blow, was surprised to feel his own leather boots leave the ground as his torso came into contact with the earth that had only moments ago been beneath him. A true warrior, he was quick to use the momentum of the fall to his advantage and hoist himself up on his strong arms. After he was positioned himself as he had wanted, he used the backwards force to raise his legs and give a swift twisting kick to the wolf's side before raising himself to his full stature once again. As unexpected as that attack had been, Sesshomaru was now much more in tune with the reality of what they were fighting for and wanted to end the whole ordeal as quickly as possible.

The unexpected blow had been enough to push the wolf prince onto his back, hands clutching at what he knew could only be a broken rib. Damn dogs and their damn hind legs he grumbled even as he worked to dismiss the pain. When it was dulled or at least numbed a bit, he positioned his hands behind the tangled and shaggy mass of black hair on his head and snapped himself back to his feet like a rubber-band. As his feet came into contact with the ground that was now once again beneath them, Koga felt as stabbing pain at the location of his fractured rib, almost as if a sharp knife was jabbed and twisted around in his innards. Perhaps his detached bone was brushing against another organs but at the moment he had very little time to think about any such possibilities.

Watching carefully as the ookami prince threw himself forward ever so recklessly, Sesshomaru sidestepped the self projectile of the filthy wolf. He did however, raise his taught, muscled arm straight out in a horizontal pattern leading the wolf to once again bring hard contact to his already battered body and fall backwards towards the hard and uncompromising ground. His lips twitched in his own form of a minute victorious smile as he thought of how he would finally be able to mate with his Kagome without interruption. Raising his finely clawed hand, his own amber eyes examined the glowing green poison dripping from their lethal tips before throwing his arm into a downward swing in hopes of a final, ending blow.

Although his body ached and begged him submit to his opponent, his inner wolf howled in a high wailing tone at the indignity of being beaten in such a manner. Demonic energies aiding him in what he hoped was going to be a swift come from behind victory, Koga managed to tuck his arms to his sides tightly and roll out the way of the descending claws he seen only a quarter second before, only receiving a few stray drops of the dog's toxic substance. Unknown to the poor wolf was the fact that even such a minor dose of a powerful demon's poison secretion can be enough to slow one's bodily systems to a near fatal rate. With a bark of exertion, the ookami hooked the back of his foot around the connecting knee joint of the lord.

Toppling upon his rival, Sesshomaru decided to put his dignity aside for the moment and accept the nuisance's invitation to wrestle on the ground like young pups in training. As he was at the receiving end of some rather nasty claw wounds, he gave as good as he got. Momentarily the wolf surprised him by overturning them so that he now held the bottom position. Deep inside the western lord he knew that if he had truly thought there was any chance of him loosing this battle, he would have been able to throw out at least ten times more strength. Drawing upon said strength at that very moment, Sesshomaru flipped the pair a final time, only to come up straddling the wolf with his glowing green claws positioned close to the boy's throat. "Do you submit," he growled out at the young demon his beast wished to tear apart. Honestly, he didn't wish to have to kill the eastern lord as it would surely start a war between territories and that was most certainly the last thing that he needed at the moment. Albeit, he was and had always been thoroughly ready to do so if this challenger refused to submit to his superior strength and revoke all claims he had on the girl publicly.

Words ringing through his sensitive ears, he gazed at the male above him dazedly. Should he really give up? Was this all worth it? Oh, of course Kagome was worth it but was he? His minded drifted far away, back to the mountains where his pack was currently resting, a pack to whom he had given his word to return. Could he abuse their trust like that? Could he truly leave them without a leader, unguided and alone? he honestly continue to wake up every day with the knowledge that the love of his life was cradled in the arms of another man? What was the point of life if he had nothing to hope for, no Kagome to work for?

He tried to search his mind for what had motivated him to live those several years ago before he had met the woman of dreams, but nothing came to him. The only thing he could see was his pack, alone and forever awaiting his return. If he let himself live then he would be surrendering to his own eternal agony, a life without a mate or a true family. No, there would never be another female for him and he would never want one. If he let himself die, he could do away with his own pain but bring pain and worry and even fear to each and every member of the pack that he had pledged to lead. It now came down to his own happiness or the happiness of the family that had cared for him.

In his mind's eye he saw Kagome with the male on top of him, happy and safe, raising a family. It stung and tore away at his heart with such knowledge, for he did know it, that she could indeed be happy with someone else while he would never have that chance. Could he really live with just her friendship and all of his dreams of what could have been? Somehow he knew that he would have to….maybe if he was good in this life he would be reincarnated and have another chance to win the girl's pure heart. Maybe in the next life things would be different, oh so much different. But for now it was time for him to be the man he had always wished Kagome would see him as. It was time to sacrifice his own pride and his own heart for the well being of many. Sighing he resigned himself to his lonely fate and nodded at the inu above him. Needing time by himself and some cool water to aid him in the cleansing of his wounds, he stood up as Sesshomaru climbed off of him and said in a low voice, "I love her. Take care of her because I love her and I swear to Kami if you hurt her you will regret it." Sighing he began to walk away before looking over his shoulder at the stoic lord and whispering in a voice that could only be heard by the two of them, "Do you love her, Sesshomaru?"

Taken aback by the wolf's question Sesshomaru struggled within himself, not sure what to say. On one hand admitting his love would be admitting his weakness yet on the other how long could he really hide from the truth? Yes, he did love her. But…so did the wolf. Was it fair for to let him walk away thinking that he had lost the love of his life to someone that couldn't love her in return? Oddly enough he decided to tell the wolf prince the truth. Walking up to the younger demon and resting his clawed hand firmly on his shoulder he looked straight into his blue eyes, revealing more emotions in that moment than he showed to anyone with the exceptions of Kagome, his mother and little Rin. Speaking so only the wolf could hear he said, "Yes, Koga. I do love her. I give you my word as a lord, demon and man that I will do all I can to protect her and give her everything she needs. Know that this Sesshomaru welcomes you to the western lands whenever you see fit and is proud to hold allies such as you."

He watched as a look of astonishment crossed the boy's face before they shared a slight bow and the young male retreated to tend to his own wounds. For the life of him he couldn't understand why in all the hells he had let that slip to wolf. Since when had he started sharing his emotions with annoying wolves? The one time he did wish to know what his more primitive half was thinking, the damn beast remained in utter silence. An agitated growl left his lips before he decided not to think upon his recent conversation. The ookami should know better than to spread tale of him, and if he didn't, he could always just kill him….although he was not sure that Kagome would be too happy with that alternative. Besides who would believe the icicle of the west was in love? Nobody. And that was the way he wanted it; as long as his Kagome knew and he knew that was all that mattered. Shaking his head he scanned his immediate surroundings for Kagome.

It was odd for her to be as silent as she had been, especially during a battle. Usually she was shrieking at him to as she so simply put it, 'stop being an ass.' At first it had angered him that she seemed to defend each and every one of his victims but in time he realized it was just her nature. Drawing on memories of years past he could even recall her telling his hanyou brother not to hurt _him_; he snorted, obviously she didn't know whom to be concerned for. The second his golden eyes locked upon her sprawled form he was by her side. The trembling body of his fevered mate was flushed, now curled upon the ground, a clear indication that she had simply fallen where she stood. It was how long ago that he wished to know. As worry, an emotion completely unknown to him before his encounters with this female, welled up inside him he felt the eyes of his guests on his back. Hearing their questions in regards to the time and location of his upcoming mating ceremony he let loose a snarl.

Snapping his neck around quickly, he bared his fangs at the crowd and hovered over his mate, his baser side not wanting anyone close to his female while she was ill. The scarlet streaks within his eyes told the nobles all they needed to know and momentarily each and every one had cleared out, retreating to their guest rooms planning to query as to the ceremony tomorrow. Fangs slightly elongated and senses slightly heightened, Sesshomaru leaned over his bitch and inhaled her normally pleasing scent. For the span of a moment it was all he could do not to gag. The fragrance wafting from her flushed personage was tinged with a rather large portion of illness and even the slightest bitter scent of death. Beast howling and tearing away at him, the regal inu youkai quickly lifted the girl into his muscled arms and dashed to his chambers, using every once of his demonic speed.

Five minutes later found the pair safely within the locked sleeping rooms of the western lord, Kagome sprawled out on a bed, wrapped snuggly in a mountainous pile of silks and furs and Sesshomaru sitting on the beds edge, lighting dabbing at his intended's sweating scalp with a damp rag. Snarling in rage he gazed up to ceiling and barked his displeasure; if he was lucky one of those hellish Kamis would gaze down upon him and answer all of his many questions. Did the fates think that his mating was a game? Did they find his personal life funny? Was this all some sick, deranged game they had decided to play now that he had finally found the chance to be happy? Did they think he would take this lying down? Were they aware that he'd fight anything that they threw at him? Was this some sort of damnable challenge they gave to any youkai wishing to join with a holy being?

While his more civilized persona threw such questions about, becoming even more frustrated when he received no answer, the silver inu that symbolized his blood beast was pacing back and forth in the forefront of his mind. The plan, even if his lesser more rational half hadn't quite agreed to it, had been to mate the girl the second the challenge with the wolf ended ceremony be damned. Although he hadn't pushed himself forth completely at the pup's challenge, he had sat each passing moment stewing in the anger his defiance had brought about within him. It wasn't for the tiny whimpering sound their mate had made, they most likely would have continued their separate thought patterns. As it was, both noticed and both were quick to focus their attention upon her.

Pink tinted eyes watched suspiciously as the girl's arms rose to her head, clasping tightly around her cranium. Curious as to what thoughts had disturbed her so, he leaned closer, only to come across a most dissatisfying evil aura intermixed with her own. Knowing there was only one way such a thing could be possible Sesshomaru closed his eyes, placing his clawed hand on the young woman's heated forehead and used his largely ignored power to connect himself to her internal vision. However, neither was quite prepared for the emotions that flowed through their one body at the sight they were first greeted with.

Kagome's Dream:

Inside the mysterious cavern that she knew to be her mind, the miko walked farther and farther, deeper and deeper into the surrounding clouds of billowing purple fog. It had been quite apparent to her from the instant she had found her mind in at least some conscious state of logical awareness that this wasn't a normal dream. In her life time she'd had chasing dreams, falling dreams, going to school naked dreams and even a few nightmares but she hadn't felt anything so odd before. No, it didn't even feel exactly like a dream…it was almost as if she could sense another presence tickling the expanded edges of her open mind….and something told her it was a familiar one. Trying to take in any clues that might lead her to some particular wealth of knowledge on what seemed to her to be an induced mental invasion, Kagome surveyed her surrounds.

Not surprisingly however, there was very little that told her anything at all about…well, anything. As far as she could see there was only the grey, singed ground she was currently walking on, the black abyss of what might have been a sky and few sickly twisted craggy peaks looming the distance. All in all, it was one of the most unsettling places she had ever found herself. Coming to a halt, the curious miko spun around on her heel, her silky black hair flying in a gentle wave behind her before coming to a swishing stop once again. There was only one truly distinguished shape she could see and if her mind wasn't playing tricks on her, she was quite sure that it had not been there a moment ago. Craning her neck and straining her eyes she looked at the shape that somehow seemed to be moving closer and closer. At a few hundred feet, she could easily recognize it as the silhouette of a man and with each forward stride her fears were only reinforced. Broad shoulders squared evenly from a masculine neck, running down into long muscled arms that connected themselves to a very well toned chest. The towering figure moved closer in long calculated strides until her bleak assumption proved itself to be true. Standing before her was the half blooded spider demon that she had finally thought herself to be free of, rippling arms hanging lazily at the sides of his bare chest and clothed in only a pair of baggy black hakama pants as his wild, midnight hair fell about his masculine face freely.

Taking a step back, Kagome opened her mouth only to close it again in shock, most likely making herself look like a gaping fish; however that was the least of her problems. Something told her that this was no ordinary dream, standing before her was some dream apparition of the real, living Naraku. It just happened to be the word living that bothered her most about that statement. Hadn't Sesshomaru rid the world of his presence? What in all hells was he doing here? Taking another timid step backwards in an unconscious retreat, she watched the evil smirk on the hanyou's lips broaden as he began to speak. "Surprised to see me little one?" He raised one fine, jet black eyebrow in her direction before releasing a very disturbing, throaty laugh. "Oh, little one, how you amuse me; did you truly think I would or even could be defeated so easily? You have always been such a silly little woman. Hm, but no, I stand here before you, and while not in the flesh, I assure it will only be a matter of time before we meet again in the tangible world. You see my pet, I have gained a great deal of…power, as I shall put it since the last time we you graced me with your increasingly elusive presence. What's wrong little one? You look as if you'd not expected my return?"

The miko's retreat was cut off abruptly as the newly energized half demon used his superior speed to position himself directly in front of her, raising his pale hand to lightly trace the high, defined bones in her lovely cheeks. The girl felt a warm arm wrap tightly around her small waist, pulling her flush against the male who was now carefully brushing his calloused thumb against her plump lips. Smiling in a most devious way, he rested his forehead against her own and whispered to her. "You are mine little one and would do well not to forget it. Who else could love you? After all you did kill your little inu mutt and abandon the friends you claim to care so much about."

Gasping Kagome tried to turn her face away from the intense inspection of the glowing crimson eyes before her only to be denied that small comfort by a strong hand gripping her chin. Softly she asked with lowered eyes, "How do you know about Inuyasha?"

His laughter rang out through the boundless arena of her mind before he finally settled his eyes upon her once more. "Come now little one did you think I would not have knowledge of such things? How full hearty you must be…but, yes I have certain _sources_ with which I choose to align myself to my convenience. Hm, I'm sure the ridiculous boy is happy in hell now with the woman you know you will never be. Hasn't he reminded you of such himself? As I recall you were simply his little shard detector; you need a mate that can see you as who you are, not the shadow of some vengeful past priestess. Little one, I can give you that and so much more. You will be my queen, my mate…even if you find the idea unsuitable as of now I'm sure you shall change your mind eventually, after all we'll have an eternity together."

Feeling her heart squeeze itself tightly within the confines of her chest, Kagome fought back tears as she replied shakily, "Leave me alone Naraku! I hate you! No, I loathe you! My friends and Sesshomaru will not let you…." It was then that she broke into sobs and finished weakly, "just…please…leave me be."

Strengthening his grip only the young woman, Naraku gazed upon her once more before retaliating. "Friends, little one? What friends? You couldn't possibly mean the slayer, the monk and the kit who you so coldly abandoned could you? You claim to care for them after such actions Kagome? No, I am sure they would find even the sight of you detestable." Gaze more pointed he lowered his already deep voice a bit, "And as for you're guard dog little one, what makes you think he truly wants you? Our friend Sesshomaru could have any female he wanted and you are naive enough to believe that female is you? It is a sin to think so highly of one's self my dear. No, you are just a passing amusement for the dog lord. How _could_ he see you as anything more? After all, you all only a weak little human female." Nuzzling his nose into her exposed neck he continued his degradation, "It is only I that truly feel for you Kagome. What I offer is eternal, an eternity by my side. It is only I that can love you."

Tears still leaking from her sparking sapphire orbs Kagome whispered, "You…you don't love anyone. Sesshomaru…Sesshomaru loves me."

"Oh how confused you truly are pet. Do not doubt my devotion towards you. However, it seems as though you feel for the dog prince. Perhaps I shall have to kill him slowly before your eyes, dragging out his pathetic screams and pleas for mercy for hours or maybe even days. I'm sure you would enjoy watching the show as much as I would creating it. But for now, we have more important things to…discuss." Rapidly advancing his lips upon hers, Naraku sucked and nipped violently at the miko's bottom lip, demanding entrance to her sweet cavern. It didn't take long before the spider grew tired of waiting and simply forced his rough tongue into her protesting mouth. Carefully taking the time to outline each one of her dull human teeth with his exploring appendage, he was soon shoving his oral muscle down his struggling victim's tilted throat. It was only when they both were in dire need of air that he pulled away from the girl and smirked down at her. "Hm, not as good as the real thing, but acceptable nonetheless." Wandering hands roughly squeezed her sensitive breasts and rounded ass before effectively cupping her womanhood in their massive palms.

Only when a growl sounded from behind the pair did a smirking Naraku pull himself away from the female he had chosen to be his mate. Standing in the shadows of his beauty's dream world was a crimson eyed, snarling inu lord. "Sesshomaru how… nice …of you to join us. What brings you?"

The only response from the excessively angry Taiyoukai was a low growl of, "Mine."

Taunting as was his nature Naraku continued to play with the inu. "What? This?" he said indicating Kagome who had been pulled closer to him, her back now being pressed firmly into his chest as both faced a very pissed lord. "Yours? Oh no, I'm afraid not. You see Sesshomaru-_sama _the little one here is mine. Did you really think yourself strong enough to kill me? I had thought that even your pompous ego had had its limitations, but apparently I was wrong."

Within seconds Sesshomaru had swung his position around and attacked what he had instinctively known to be a mere puppet of the hanyou form behind, effectively reducing it to only a small wooden doll with a strand of the evil hanyou's hair wrapped carefully around it. Growling and pulling his intended mate into the protective embrace of his arms he heard the laughter of the now disembodied half demon surrounding he and his mate. "Temper, Temper my friend. I shall leave you for now, but I do promise to return shortly. And as for you little Kagome, I'm looking forward to our first night together." With that the voice disappeared completely, but not before using the last its strength to throw the dog lord out of the girl's mind as well.

Outside Kagome (with Sesshomaru):

Feeling himself shoved forcibly into his own body once again, Sesshomaru let out a howl of outrage, startling the unsuspecting occupants of his home. How in all hells was the damnable half breed alive? He had killed him with his own lethally clawed hands! Snarling, he made a silent vow to himself to eliminate the filthy bastard once and for all. Their next meeting would be their last. Looking down at his shivering mate, Sesshomaru was once again drawn into a more controlled state of being. Pressing his demonic nose against her pulse point, only to find a very slight and sporadic beating underneath the surface, he grabbed the girl and pulled her into his lap.

How dare that hanyou assume to challenge him? What right did he have to take such liberties with a female than was already spoken for? Deciding on a risky, yet necessary course of action, Sesshomaru resituated the girl so that she was cradled against him, taking his free hand to lightly slice a fairly deep wound in his own pale arm before pressing the bleeding laceration to her dry lips. In theory giving her a small dose of his blood would simply give her momentary demonic healing abilities and insure her rather immediate health, but with Kagome it was different and he knew that he was taking a big risk in doing so. Subjectively, the holy power or miko blood that so avidly flowed through her mortal veins would have to be able to specify between the separate elements of the demonic substance. For example, the youkai energy, if absorbed could cause great damage to the girl's already ailing body yet if only the healing properties were absorbed it would shorten the girl's healing time to practically nothing.

Tilting her back, he forced the crimson liquid from his arm into his mate's mouth, every moment waiting carefully for any signs of discomfort from the girl. As he had predicted the girl was blessed with powers strong enough to discern the difference between the elements of his youkai that had been carried through his blood. The only minor inconvenience was the fact that the girl now seemed even more weary, judging from her aura, having used so much of her holy energy in such a short amount of time. Sighing, he placed the woman he wished to spend the rest of his days with gently back into the futon, giving her an affectionate kiss on the forehead and a quick once over with his amber eyes before leaving his chambers and stalking through the halls to the room in which he knew all of his guests would be gathered for midday meal.

Upon his arrival he made the short announcement that the mating ceremony would occur either the following day or the day after, depending upon the health and condition of his mate. Giving some of his more formidable guests a few curt nods of recognition, the western lord completed his quick task and had every intention of returning to his bed chamber to watch over his sleeping mate, wanting to be there when she awoke. Perhaps administering his blood had been a hasty choice, for now as he understood it, it would be harder for her as a mortal to heal without more of the demonic fluid. Sighing he rubbed his temples and rolled his shoulders in a vain attempt to release a bit of the tension that he was feeling at the moment. Convincing himself that it mattered not, he reminded himself that she would be automatically given his life span and several of his other more superficial abilities during the mating process, although he was not quite sure if that included any healing properties. Although rare for him to get any form of human ailment, the great lord of the west currently had a throbbing headache and simply wished to return to the silence of his rooms in the calming if yet unawares presence of his mate. However, about half way to his destination, Sesshomaru came across a small cluster of male demons, all of whom where only several hundred years younger than himself. Giving them a passing glance and not receiving any recognition in return, he stopped to examine them more thoroughly.

At the head of the small gathering stood a blue haired dragon youkai, strong and clearly muscled yet with a hit of boyish feature left on his not yet fully squared face, his blue eyes shinning with lustful mirth. Beside him stood a pair of ookami youkai, obviously not from Koga's eastern pack seeing as their tails were quite a bit longer and their masses or red and violet hair were cropped short in the style of some of the lesser known southern tribes. Several of his own breed, inu youkai, closed the outside of the circle, accompanied by a pair of very distinctly characterized elemental youkai. Normally, Sesshomaru would have paid the young males no mind; however, during his brief period of stillness his sensitive demonic hearing picked up on a few pieces of their conversation.

"Did you see the power rolling off that female? Hell, what's such a gorgeous little bitch like that doing with old Fluffy?"

"I don't know about that, what I do know is that I'd love to have those long legs wrapped around my waist while I was showing her how real youkai mate."

"Fuck! Did you guys catch her scent, she's still innocent! Kami, if I was old freezer pants I'd have thrown her down and pounded her already!"

"Ah, we all know he's only doing this whole mating thing for show. Ha! I bet he's much more attracted to mates of the same sex!"

"But if he takes her as a mate doesn't that mean he can't rut with anybody else?"

"Yeah, anyway! Do you guys think he'd let me have a go with her? I mean, she just looks like she'd be so tight."

"I don't know, but do you think there'd really be much he could do to stop you? Seriously, he had trouble fending off the wimpy wolf!"

"I don't know, it kind of looked like he was holding back to me…"

"Nah, I don't think so. Besides, with my looks I could easily convince the bitch to visit my bed. Maybe I'd make her my…"

Furious that any male, especially those of noble descent, would lower themselves to such crude gestures not to mention the very pointed fact they were referring to _his _beautiful mate to whom he would be _completely_ faithful. Did they dare to think he would sell his beloved away like some cheap, disgusting concubine? Hadn't their elders taught them the holiness of such mating bonds? Obviously not. Hm, and if they thought _his_ Kagome would warming any of their beds, they were plainly oblivious to her loyalty and his… persuasive tactics when it came to protecting that which was his. True, he would have expected it from the uncivilized elemental youkai, but his own breed? And they dared to question his abilities as mate, male and protector? Deciding he would have to intervene to reverse such discredited manners of thinking, the western lord let out a low growl, quickly gaining the attention of his intended audience he set himself in his infamous cold exterior. "You propose to speak so freely of this Sesshomaru and his mate? And what has authorized you to make such judgments? This Sesshomaru is _very _curious to know."

Stuttering, most of the younger males tried to backtrack and find some plausible explanation for their words, leaving only one, the blue haired dragon youkai, to step forward in challenge. "Do you really think you could make such a female happy, old man? Ha! I bet you loose her to the first demon that takes a liking to her! Your ever so theatrical battle with the mangy wolf proved nothing! A human could take down Koga! What's to say that I can't take her off your claws?"

Growling at the sheer audacity of the demon in front of him, the dog lord stealthy extended a glowing, poisonous clawed appendage, gripping his challenger's throat tightly. As the lethal toxin of his dangerously clawed nails poured into the several bloody puncture wounds that had been created on his neck, Sesshomaru advanced, slamming the younger demon's body into the stone wall, leaving a very distinctly shaped indentation in the ancient stone. Hearing the satisfying crunch of several, hopefully vital bones, Sesshomaru flashed his massive canines at his prisoner before turning to survey his horrified audience. "This Sesshomaru will not tolerate such blatant disrespect. If you were all not of noble descent, This Sesshomaru assures you that you would have long ago been separated from you useless heads. The female in **mine**, is this Sesshomaru understood? Despite your birth rights as a royal, there will be no hesitation to end your miserable existence if even the slightest reason presents itself again." Seeing them all nodding furiously as they backed away from his being even further, Sesshomaru dropped his injured prey and stormed back to his bedchambers, wishing to divest himself in the calming presence of his soon to be official mate.

Miles Away with Naraku:

Slamming his fisted hands into the cold, moist wall before him, Naraku could feel his own black blood pouring from self inflicted wounds on his white knuckles. The last half hour had been spent cursing his luck and just generally throwing every form of tantrum he knew how. Why had the damnable dog lord shown up when he was just beginning to have some much deserved fun with the female that was rightfully his!?! Entering her mind had been easier than he thought, her numerous mental barriers weakened by what he guessed was some form of human illness. Snarling at the fact that the inu lord had allowed her to come into such a state, the spider decided that he would have to make his visit sooner than he had originally planned. Aside from the fact that the couple's mating ceremony was going to happen, in what he was quite sure would be two days seeing as the girl would need a bit of time to recover even after he had seen the inu bestow upon her his blood throw his evilly enchanted mirror.

Knowing that the sharing of his blood would give him an even stronger connection to the miko, _his _miko, the bitter half breed threw himself down into an old ragged arm chair, resting his constantly clenching and unclenching fists on the rotting wood arm rests. Looking once again into the mirror that let him so closely monitor his mate, Naraku tried to calm his agitated blood by gazing upon the calming visage of her sleeping form. Muscles relaxing a considerable amount, the infamous hanyou smirked crookedly at all the things he planned to show her when she occupied his own bed. Yes, mating was an art and as she was to be his only partner for the rest of his existence, he would have to make sure that she was a master artist. Mmm, yes, he planned to enjoy all of her charms thoroughly. Grinding his teeth in anticipation the half blooded arachnid cracked his massive knuckles and turned his head to gaze into the broken mirror that hung lopsidedly on the wall opposite of him. Giving himself a once over, Naraku chuckled to himself and returned to his unnatural sexual thoughts.

Thousands of Miles Below the Earth in the Underworld:

The former hanyou Inuyasha sat cross legged on the black ground below him, arms folded and eyes closed. It had been only hours since his arrival in the afterlife and he had yet to see the female he had come here with. Perhaps she had been placed in the deeper pits of the inferno for her more vivid transgressions, but as of yet the half inu demon hadn't seen anyone. Normally it would have bothered him, but his surroundings somehow instilled in him a sense of contentedness and encompassing peace. Happy in his own right yet not quite understanding why, the hanyou smiled to himself and thought of his Kagome. Yes, the next centuries until his impending reincarnation would be made bearable through those memories and the hopes he kept alive for his future life. Being a demon, or at least half demon, he knew that even in his new form he would remember his past life and this only further spurred him in thoughts of someday meeting a reincarnation of Kagome, or even Kagome herself. Being as powerful as she was, he doubted that she would forget her past life, even though it had not been so in the case of Kikyo. Smiling to himself he decided that next time around, he would do everything much differently.

A/N: There you go! I hope you enjoyed and like I said it may take some time before I can get the next one out but I promise to try to go as fast as I can. Thanks, and please review for me!


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Alright, here's the next chapter. This one was a bit spontaneous as it wasn't wholly thought out, it just sort of came out of me as I was sitting there. Thanks again for all of your reviews and support!

With Sesshomaru and Kagome:

Throwing the heavy wooden doors to his chambers open in a huffy bout of strength, the normally pristine and emotionless lord threw himself into a well cushioned chair positioned in the corner of the spacious room. Letting his ever perfect posture slip somewhat, Sesshomaru brought his long, dangerously clawed fingers to his temples and began to massage them with a strength that would have made a normal man cringe. Amber eyes closed to the world around him, the dog prince listened carefully, finding the steady inhalations of his little female to be a calming melody. Her sweet, earthy scent filled his nose, leading to the ending of his futile massaging technique; much taller than even most demon males, he leaned his stiff neck backwards over the top ridge of his seat, searching for some sort of relief from the aching.

Being a demon, the western lord barely ever suffered from such human maladies, yet when he did they always tended to hit him with an unexpected force. Not surprisingly, he had almost always ended the days of his social gatherings, which were indeed few and far between, with at least some semblance of the horrid beat that kept pulsing away in his silky, silver cranium. Letting out a noise between a growl and a sigh that was barely identifiable even to his own pointed ears, he added this as what seemed to be the millionth reason for him to dislike social gatherings. True, he had never been a social butterfly to begin with but this was becoming ridiculous. What did these sorry excuse for demons expect him to discuss, the tailoring of his hakama?

The only person he had seemed to able to hold a conversation with other than his now deceased mother in his years as a pup seemed to be the young woman child that lay across the room sleeping soundly. What was it about her that made him let his guard down? Why did he trust her as he did? Although he still had no exact answers to these questions, it bothered him much less than when his initial attraction had begun. It had been in those long hours of mental combat between his instinctual and logical sides in which he had allowed himself to discuss with himself the possibility of taking the girl as a mate. Once he had set his mind to the affirmative, he was quite certain she would accept him; after all, an inu youkai always got his female.

At that moment, said female stirred, rolling over gracefully so that her beautifully serene face was pointed in his direction. An unguarded smile crossed his thin lips as he looked at her with all of the adoration and admiration that he knew he would always be incapable of vocally expressing to her. That was just one of the many reasons why he planned to spoil her with everything she wished for and more. Even though he knew that it was not in her nature to demand material things it didn't mean that he didn't enjoy giving them to her. She was after all his female. She was the best, and she should know it.

Sesshomaru knew from experience that his duties as a lord could be quite time consuming, but planned to have her by his side every second of the day nonetheless. It was her place and as such where she would stay. Perhaps once the years came along he might let her leave him for a matter of minutes to play some form of childish game with their pups, but he knew that he would always need her close to him. Now that his demon side had decided to bond itself to her, it would never be possible for her to go that far away from him without the both of them feeling the effects of the union tugging at their souls. No, she would never be far from him.

Mind drifting back to the aforementioned subject of pups the seemingly all powerful and much feared lord of the western lands flashed a sharp toothed smirk to no one in particular. Of course the actual impregnation part would be enjoyable, but contrary popular belief he did actually want to be a father. As far fetched as it had seemed to him at one point in his long life, he was oddly enough looking forward to it. Perhaps it was simply because of his love for Kagome and his wish to have something such as a child bonding them together or perhaps Rin had finally gotten to him with all her years of childish antics; however either way he was eagerly anticipating it. Of course he had already felt the slight hint of jealousy that came along with realization that she would not have as much time to be attentive to him, but he had quickly assured himself that that was what nannies were for. Although…it might be hard to convince Kagome to leave their pups in the care of another. After how he had seen her acting with the kit that wasn't even her blood son, he was more than certain she would be a bit protective of any pups they had, not saying that he would be much better. Already the thought of any of his future daughters finding a mate made the hair on his neck raise in fairly tangible tension. It was however his demonic side that was most pleased with her motherly instincts; it had identified her right away as an exceptional maternal candidate.

Seeing his mate's stirring form, Sesshomaru decided that it would best for her to wake up to his surrounding presence and thus erected himself to his full height once again. His headache greatly dissipated, he took several long strides toward the lavishly decorated futon and scooped her still partially unaware form into his strong arms, relishing the comfort her presence created within him and the warmth that radiated from her. Using one muscular arm to cradle her, he swung a chair, the identical companion of the one he had been sitting upon only moments early so that it was facing the rippled glass windows placed into the stone wall. Actually the glass had been a new addition, only having been invented several years ago; usually, he refused to buy into mortal inventions but this had been an exception seeing as he very often liked to gaze out upon the scenery of his lands. Amber eyes cast towards the night sky that could be so clearly examined from his current position, Sesshomaru waited upon the awakening of his Kagome, not wishing to rush her in the slightest.

Kagome who clutched tightly to the new source of warmth her body had found, yawned cutely and squinted her eyes open, only shut them again as she took in the shadowed surrounding of the fire-lit room flicking against the cold stone walls and the lightly breathing form of her future mate, holding her tightly while resting calmly above her. As another unstoppable yawn escaped her plump lips, she had the distinct realization that she seemed to be sleeping an awful lot lately. Ha, for years traveling in this era she had begged her companions for a few extra hours of sleep and now she seemed to be getting more than even she needed. It was that thought that brought back to her the very acute memory of her dream and the spider hanyou's cutting remarks.

She had killed Inuyasha, abandoned her friends…left behind everything she had once stood for, how could she expect anyone to love her now? Even she hated herself; it wasn't supposed to happen this way, things were supposed to be different. Sure, she had always know deep in heart that she and Inuyasha would never be together romantically, but never had she once considered the possibility of losing him as her best friend. And even then, she never would have ventured to think that it might be her fault. Watering eyes fully open now, the miko of the future looked up at the regal countenance of lord Sesshomaru and gazed into his honeyed amber eyes. It was the love shining there, love she had once thought him incapable of possessing, that was her undoing as she broke into tears, silently sobbing into his shoulder. It was too much; the fact that he would eventually realize that she wasn't near good enough for him and abandon her tore her apart. Honestly, she didn't think that she could live with it. Beside that she had most likely broken the heart of the one demon who had claimed to love her all along, poor Koga. The last thing she had seen was him walking away from the arena before she had lost conscious thought. Great, just another person to add to the growing list of people she'd hurt. It was only hearing the ever collected voice of the man she so desperately wished could return her feelings that she came back to reality even for the briefest time, "Koi, what is it that causes you such tears?"

The use of his loving little pet name for her only caused her to sob more fully, knowing that one day he would be calling another woman by such a name. Telling herself that it would be best to be honest with him so that she could enjoy the little time that she did have left, if any after he heard how pathetic she was. "You'll leave m-me…e-everyone knows y-your too g-good for m-me," whispering the last phrase she added, "Everyone is." Turning her head from the silver haired demon she waited for his mocking laughter knowing that it would come eventually, but not decided upon whether she wished it to be sooner or later.

Frustration filled him as he looked down at the woman he so desperately wished would understand him. She didn't understand his feelings for her and yet he did not think himself strong enough to voice them. Pushing back his anger at her unknowing nature, he tried to think what could have possibly made her so blind to such deep feelings as the one he held before the answer hit him square in the face. Inuyasha. Naraku. Those others, they'd all told her how unworthy she was, constantly comparing her to the disgusting clay bitch and discrediting her for the most minor flaw. Not wanting to scare her for he knew that she would be jumpy at the moment, he had to literally gulp back a snarl that ended up coming out as more of a strangled cough. Trying to explain his feelings without totally revealing them he said, "Kagome, you are the only female that shall ever have this Sesshomaru in such a way. You have the word of lord of the west and simply the word of this Sesshomaru as a demon that he will bed no other, such a thing will be reserved only for you. This Sesshomaru wishes you to remain at his side through the course of eternity. Feelings," he began the statement shakily looking into her sapphire orbs in silent prayer for understanding, "….feelings will never be lost between us, to such this Sesshomaru vows. You are the female this Sesshomaru wishes to bare his pups and raise his family with." Reverting out of his normal third person tense he added a quiet, "I promise,' hoping that he did not seem too weak to the girl now. No, he was anything but weak. It was simply that he had a soft spot in his frozen heart for this one female.

Kagome, who had sensed the sincerity in his voice had thrown out all thoughts of the evil half breed spider's words and put her mind to imagining Sesshomaru as a little boy, running around and causing trouble all over the palace. Smiling brightly she realized that he must have been quite a handful. But, yet, a part of her wondered if he tried to put on such an indifferent front even as a child. Why would he? However, it was hard to imagine him running around without a care in the world…although, it was a very amusing mental picture. Wondering what any pups that the two of them had would look like, she secretly hoped that they would take on the handsome traits of their father, not knowing that at the same moment he was wishing that their pups would appear more like their mother. Working up the courage to ask him what she had been wondering since she had first come to the palace moon with him she gulped and said, "What was your childhood like?" Yet, she made sure to add a quick, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Sesshomaru looked down at female in his arms and debated upon whether or not to share with her his life story. True, it was nothing horribly gruesome or terribly saddening but it still caused him pain; it was only the knowledge that she was the female that he wished to live out the rest of his days with that pushed him to finally agree to her rather spontaneous request, much to both of their shock. "Hm, as you wish Koi. This Sesshomaru is assuming that you know of demon life spans, their period of endurance being much longer than that of a mere mortal being; it was about 2000 years into the reign of this Sesshomaru's sire, Inu no Tashio, when he came across the demoness that would mother this Sesshomaru. It is said that he was foolish enough to be enthralled by her beauty at first sight, such beauty as is clear in this Sesshomaru's distant memories. As the information has been recorded, the once wild lord of the West was finally tamed by the gentle presence of the female inu that would soon become his mate. Nearly a century after their formal mating and the completion of their what would seem to have been brief courtship, this Sesshomaru was birthed. Although this Sesshomaru does not wish to detail his whole childhood at present, it is acceptable for you to assume that the first few decades of life were spent by the side of a coddling mother and fawning servants. It was only at the mark of first century that father spared much more than a moment for his son. For the next several centuries training was completed and laws were learned, leaving little time for anything else. Only approximately a decade remained in this Sesshomaru's period as his father's understudy when mother took ill. Despite the efforts of many healers both human and demon, it was not long before she passed unto to next realm, leaving this Sesshomaru and his father behind. It was only a year, what would be an eye blink for a demon that he found the mother of Inuyasha. As this Sesshomaru has informed you before, it is completely unacceptable for an inu male to take another mate even after the death of a previous one. Even the most sinful of inu youkai do not bed any other bitch once they have taken a mate. The disgusting female clung to father like a leech, practically begging him to take her as his mate, and it took not long before the fool caved, bringing dishonor to the west that this Sesshomaru has had to battle since his lordship. By the time the hanyou was born, the title of lord should have belonged to this Sesshomaru, at a partial rate in the very least. However, father knew the feelings this Sesshomaru held towards his whore and feared that my coming into power would result in harm to the filthy human. How foolish he was to think that this Sesshomaru would even for a moment waste the energy it would have taken to rid the world of her marring presence. Eventually, he died in battle against a dragon youkai, hoping to protect the mother of his precious half breed son Inuyasha. It was then that this Sesshomaru sent the pair of them, the hanyou and his mother to live in the village by the well; although they and many other mortals saw it as an act of arrogance and complete inability to accept them, this Sesshomaru sent them away only for their safety. Staying at a demonic court would have only resulted in pain for both of them and despite the dislike this Sesshomaru housed for them, they were still blood. Supposing you know the story of how the mutt's life continued after that point it is only reasonable to say that my own ventures were nothing notable. Most of the years were spent defending the honor of the west and trying to obtain a certain amount of pull in demon society. Rin became this Sesshomaru's ward several months after your own arrival in the era and by that time we had already encountered one another." Sighing deeply as he finished the much shortened tale of his existence, he waited upon the young woman's response.

Barely able to close her mouth, the miko from the future decided that was most likely the greatest number of word's this demon would ever coherently use. What was more, he trusted her enough to tell her of his past despite the obvious distress it caused him. Snuggling further into his haori, she looked up at him for a moment and smiled, silently thanking him for sharing such a thing with her.

Needing to change the subject due to his own awkwardness throughout the entire situation, the western lord cleared his throat and asked his Kagome, "Do you feel well enough to continue with the mating ceremony tomorrow, or do you wish for another day to rest. Either will be acceptable."

Although she was feeling much better than she had been for the past several days, Kagome decided that it would be best if she waited an extra day, just to make sure that she could enjoy the whole ceremony as much as possible. "I'd like to wait a day if that's okay."

Having expected such an answer, Sesshomaru simply nodded and moved onto his next question, knowing the answer to this one as well. "Would you like to bathe Kagome?" Her eager nod was all he needed before he gently lifted her off of his lap and into his arms. Carrying the girl into the white marble bathroom, he was pleased to see that the tub was filled to the brim with steaming water as he had requested earlier that day; though, his earlier line of thought had been brought about under different circumstances with definite hints of his untimely arousal. Sharking his silver head, he tossed away both his inner and outer haori shirts before turning to the small female that was currently gazing longingly at the tin bathing basin. Although he could have quite easily become 'excited' at the opportunity to see his female once again in an undressed state, he decided that this was most certainly not the time to be acting like a bitch in heat, thus walking forward and gently disrobing his female, all the while admiringly inspecting each of her perfect feminine features. When they were finally both disrobed he picked her up once again before stepping over the high sides of the tub and slowly sinking both of their nude bodies into the steaming water.

It pleased him greatly that she seemed to be much less shy about displaying her beautiful figure to his hungry eyes. Perhaps all she had needed was time. Sensing the tension that had built from the past day's events, Sesshomaru lifted his clawed hands, hands that were known as being infamously merciless killing tools, and lightly started to massage the knots out of the muscles in the girls back. After sitting himself up a bit more, he began to apply a bit more pressure to certain areas and was rewarded with a pleased moan from the woman he was currently pampering. Once he had worked her shoulders and neck thoroughly, he moved his large hands down her back, slowly working his way to the base of her spine before working the tops of her arms.

Despite her one outburst, Kagome had been successful in keeping herself silent, that was until she felt his calloused fingers reach around her and gently pinch and knead the stressed tendons in the back of her calves, eventually continuing his way down to the bottoms her feet, at that point having been practically hunched over her. After he finished, he brought her smaller hands into his and gently applied pressure to her palms, completing the most wonderful, and one of the only massages the priestess had ever had in her life. It was only when she twisted herself to return the favor that she saw the male behind her shake his head and point her body forward once more. It was that exact moment that she was about to ask him what in the world he was doing that she felt the gentle caress of a washcloth ghosting over her back and was once again lost in the relaxing sensations.

Smiling to himself as her body loosened itself even more within his grasp he decided that he quite liked tending to his mate. After taking his time to clean every area of her body thoroughly he tossed his cloth away and reached a long, toned arm for the lightly lavender scented herbal hair mix that he so often used. Pouring a healthy portion into his palms, he made sure to work up a thick lather before tenderly threading his claws through her mass of midnight back hair. Being sure to use extra care not to prick her with the lethal tips, he slowly worked the foam into her hair, massaging her scalp for a lengthy period of time before whispering to her to close her eyes, tilting her head backward and thoroughly washing away all traces of the formerly present solution.

Noticing the wrinkles starting to appear on the youthful miko's delicate skin, he stood once again and stepped out of the tub, carrying her with him. Placing the dazed girl on her feet, he dabbed her gently dry with a fluffy white cloth before quickly shaking the water from himself, unable to control the instinctual inu action. Donning his own white robe, he gave her a smaller more feminine version of the covering and waited until it was carefully placed upon her before scooping her up once more and walking her back to the futon where a servant had left a tray full of ripe fruit for their evening meal.

Knowing that Kagome was already half asleep, he sat himself at the head of the mattress, propping his back against a conveniently placed wall and situating her littler personage between his well formed thighs. Using his claws to carefully peel some the morsels that were left for them, he gently shook his intended mate and nodded towards the food in front of her before pressing a juicy slice of peach to her soft lips. He was quite pleased as she accepted his offering trustingly, not even bothering to open her deep blue orbs to inspect the food for herself. Although it was most likely unknown to the girl, it was a great sign of trust between inu youkai to accept food from the hand of another, especially food that hadn't been previously inspected by the recipient. As his demon purred in content at the young woman's willingness to allow his protection and care, Sesshomaru slowly worked his way through all of the colorful, sweet tasting fruits, occasionally popping a slice or two into his own open mouth.

Setting the silver serving platter on the cold stone floor, the dog lord slowly turned himself that he was now situated comfortably on his side with his female's small back pressed firmly against his defined masculine chest. As he rested his chin atop the crown of her head, he took his sweet time to savor the wonderful scent that rolled off of her. Wondering how he gone from the merciless demon lord of the west to a cuddling mate he simply gave a mental shrug. It wasn't as if anyone else would receive such affections from him so it truly didn't matter. Perhaps she was more a sense of strength than weakness as he had originally thought. True, his father's foolish attraction to that mortal woman had been his downfall but this was different. While he was absolutely sure that his father felt nothing as deep as love for the mother of his younger half brother, it was different between Kagome and him. He really did love the girl and if that meant that he ended up having to give his life for her then that was simply would be what it came down to. Unlike many men, Sesshomaru had been around long enough to know that honest, true love is a gift that one receives only once in a lifetime and he by no means meant to give that up, not for anything. Closing his amber orbs, he pulled his Kagome tighter to him, wrapping a possessive arm around her flat stomach before drifting off into a very contented sleep.

Perhaps it was the extra hours of rest she had gotten the day before, but for some odd reason Kagome found herself to be the first one awake the next morning. Feeling the need to stretch her cramped legs, she slid out of the loosened arms of the western lord and paced over the window, looking out at the lush green of the land below her. She remembered perfectly well the sorrow she had been wallowing in while sitting in the arms of her lord last night and also quite vividly, too much for her taste, remembered the reasons why. However, it was certainly not sadness or grief that hung over her this morning, no, most certainly not. Maybe it was the built up tension or maybe it was the fact that everything seemed to be spiraling out of control but Kagome finally gave into her teenage tendencies and got angry, making for a very un-Kagome like attitude. What in hells name did she do to deserve this? First she had been dragged down some magical well and thrown into some grand adventure that she had never wished for, then she had been nearly killed innumerable times and now she was supposed to feel bad about all of the crap that happened to everyone else? Well, screw that! Didn't she deserve a break, a little pity, even maybe a chance to be normal just for a full week? No, apparently someone up there hated her and found some sort of twisted amusement in messing around with every aspect of her so called life.

Although he had never been a very heavy sleeper, partly due to his ever present demonic awareness and partly due to his refusal to admit to himself that one such as he even needed rest to begin with; years earlier he had experimented in the lengths of time he could properly function without rest but the present didn't seem to provide time for such ventures. It was only when he cleared his head and reached for his mate wanting to feel the warmth of her pressed against him, that he came to the abrupt realization that she was no longer in the bed with him. A snarl spilt from his slightly parted lips as his clawed fingers felt only the cold material of dyed silken sheets between them. Not even thinking about his nearly bipolar attitude change he sprung up from his position eyes tinted with the faint pink hues of his demonic blood yet still decidedly amber for the moment. Had he not informed her not to leave his bed until he had given his permission? What had the damnable bitch been thinking? Also escaping his mind was the fact that the miko most likely had no knowledge of what such a gesture meant. In short, when a female leaves the nesting area without the consent of her mate it is one of the most obvious ways to challenge his dominance; saying in a way that she was not satisfied by his presence and has thus taken to searching for a more suitable male. Though the lord knew rationally that this wasn't the case with his bitch, he simply couldn't help his instinctual response. Only further aggravating him was the fact that she had so openly shown her trust and submission the previous night. Did the female think this to be a game? Did she not take his proposal seriously?

Intending to find out for himself, Sesshomaru stealthy followed the scent of his chosen mate, eventually finding himself only a few paces away, gazing out the tall rippled glass window that they had sat before the prior evening. This was what she had left his side for, a ridiculous window? Trying to hold back the frustration that had been building within from all of the events of the past week he bit out in a very snappish, clipped tone, "What do you think yourself to be doing onna?"

Already quite angry, Kagome whipped her head around at the sound of the tightly controlled voice behind her and glowered at the demon that had disturbed her thoughts. For once in her life Kagome decided to let loose some completely undirected yet well deserved anger at the first person that came her way. Unfortunately, that just happened to be Sesshomaru. "What does it _look_ like I'm doing? I'm looking out the window, you have a problem oh mighty one?"

Momentarily taken aback at the normally pleasant girl's heated tone, the lord made the mistake of letting his own very easily ignited temper fly in return. Taking large strides forward until he was towering directly above her, he glared down at her. "Bitch, you will not take that tone with this Sesshomaru. Furthermore, if this Sesshomaru were to have a problem with any action you _ever_ find yourself in the midst of, you will cease and desist at once, is that understood?"

"Oh! I understand perfectly Lord Sesshomaru. You want me to be some trained little girl that sits stays and rolls over every time you give the word! Well, I've got some news for you buddy; I'm not the dog here! If I feel like standing and looking out the Kami forsaken window, I'll sure as hell get up and do it!" Turning away from the much taller demon behind her, she played the childish game of ignoring his presence completely until he finally gripped her shoulders, using an excessive amount of force, and spun her around so that she was staring up at his light pink eyes and clearly displayed snapping fangs which were probably meant to be intimidating.

Hating to be ignored in the first place and sick of playing her silly games Sesshomaru took action and soon locked eyes with the woman who had dared to speak to him in such a disrespectful manner. "This Sesshomaru has fought constantly to keep you by his side and this is your display of gratitude? Unacceptable! You will adore me like a female is supposed to adore their mate. Despite any misgivings or ill thought out notions you might have girl, this Sesshomaru is in control of you. You will do as told."

"Fighting for me? Fighting for _me_? No, Sesshomaru, I think you've been fighting for you and that over inflated ego of yours. Maybe if you really had wished for my protection and happiness as much as you claim to you might have asked me how I felt about things instead of pulling out your stupid sword and swinging around like some little boy! You only think you're fighting for me, that is what you've convinced yourself, but you and I both know that you're fighting for you and your damn pride! If it was anything else you would have at least told me you cared about me, damn it! And as far as my adoration and obedience go, I plan on doing as I please thank you very much."

"You dare to question the honor of this Sesshomaru? What right have you, onna? It is not this Sesshomaru that is of gallivanting with a different male every day."

Feeling the sting of his words slice through her like a cold knife, she raised her hand and left fly a punch. No, not a slap like one might expect from a young female but a full fledged punch cutting the demon lord's lip on his own pointed fang and causing a thin trail of blood to crease the corner of his mouth. In an angered undertone the miko drew her face nearer to that of the offender and spoke in a tone that would have given even Sesshomaru at his best a challenge. "You bastard. You are exactly like your brother; no, you're worse. At least Inuyasha never accused me of being a whore. Over four years he said many, many things to me and I probably shouldn't have let him get away with half of them, but even he knew better than to imply that I was a whore. Do you think that I enjoy all of the twisted attention? Do you really think that little of me, Sesshomaru? You know absolutely nothing about me."

Still stunned from the rather forceful blow he had received from his chosen mate, it took a few moments to finally respond to her harsh words. Before he replied verbally he did as his temper and instincts both demanded and backhanded the woman, snapping her head to the side and spreading several bloody claw marks over her face. Never before in all his life had he been treated like that. Not even when he was a child had anyone dared to speak to him in such a manner, and he quite quickly decided that he detested it. Snarling in a voice rough enough so as to be hard to understand he growled, "This Sesshomaru knows everything, bitch. It is you that knows nothing. This Sesshomaru has vowed to you his complete faithfulness and you, onna, place repayment in the fact that you are taken away from this Sesshomaru's grasp every other minute by some ill mannered suitor. This Sesshomaru will not allow it! You are mine! My female! My woman! My mate! Mother to my pups! My bitch! Not some idiot wolf, lunatic spider or worthless mutt! Mine! This Sesshomaru will not stand for your running about with any other! If it is necessary to chain you to the wall of our chamber, it will be done. This Sesshomaru does not plan to share you onna. Mine, you are mine!"

Already feeling the swelling from the hard impact to her left cheek, Kagome swallowed the small amount of blood that lingered in her mouth before matching the angry inu word for word. "Mine? Mine? That's all I've been hearing from _everyone_ for the past week! First no one wanted me, now I seem to be the property of half the Japanese nation! You know what, I am mine! I am my own woman! You don't own me, Sesshomaru! You never have and you never will!" Noticing how his hand rose at his side she continued, "That's right Sesshomaru, hit me again! It's worked so well all of the other times you've done it! You know, I thought you had more honor than that. You tell me that I have to stay with you, but is this what you'll do every time you don't get your way? Are you just going to haul off and hit me? What gives you the right?"

Now, in his almost completely primal state, the lord of the west slammed his female against the cold stone of the hard wall and placed his visible fangs directly at her eyes level, an instinctual attempt to show his dominance to the bitch he had chosen. "You are mine bitch because this Sesshomaru says so. Do not think to question what you are told. It is relevant what any other has told you for you are, have been and will always this Sesshomaru's female. As for the right to hit you girl, this Sesshomaru has a right as your mate to keep you in line, in the place that is best for you. Submit, bitch."

"You're not my mate Sesshomaru and I'm pretty sure you never will be! I'm going home to my time where I can just be normal for once. So, get your stupid claws off of me!"

Making a point of digging his 'stupid claws' into her tense shoulders he lifted her much to her annoyance and wrapped her legs around his waist despite her physical and verbal protest. Her defiance, however angering, had aroused him in both his rational and demonic personas. He had always loved that the girl thought for herself as so many females were afraid or even incapable of doing, yet she would have to learn that all arguments would stop once he laid down his demands. Bending his neck he latched his elongated teeth onto the soft underside of her throat and growled menacingly until she stilled in his arms. Letting the flesh finally slide out from between his lethal teeth, he locked eyes with her, making sure that he had her full attention. "You will not leave this Sesshomaru, not now and not ever. Do you want to back to your home and find some nice little human boy to mate with? Is that what you wish for? You are in need of a man not a boy Kagome and this Sesshomaru is a man. You are mine. It is your place to stay by my side and I intend to keep you there bitch. As for not becoming this Sesshomaru's mate, it is no longer a concern of mine whether you wish or do not wish it to occur for it will happen either way. Either way you will be mine. This Sesshomaru is quite sure time will wear away your unfounded anger and help you to see reason."

Speechless at the fact that he would actually take her choice away from her, she looked into his hardened eyes and whispered, "You would force me to be your mate?"

Looking down at the girl he growled at his own weakness and set her on her own feet before once again delving into his own thoughts. Could he truly make her become his mate? Could he honestly force himself upon her? Would he even be able to go through with it? No. The answer was no. He knew it would kill him to do so, yet he had no intentions of losing her. Looking at her distraught, now anger free eyes he was able to get a little bit of a hold onto his demonic temperament and roughly grabbed the young woman child, sitting himself in the armchair they had occupied the previous night and bring her crashing down into his lap. Closing his amber eyes the lord of the west took a deep, calming breath that he only days ago would have thought himself incapable of and tried his best to speak in an even tone. "No, Kagome. This Sesshomaru would not force himself upon you. However, if you think that it is my intention to let you leave you are sorely mistaken. As I said, you are mine and as such you shall stay with this Sesshomaru."

Feeling all of the adrenaline that had fueled her during their heated argument drain from her system, Kagome sighed and slumped back against the demon she was still rather furious with. Sure, it helped that he said he wouldn't force himself on her but he still didn't get it. If he wasn't so damn pushy about it she would have gladly given herself to him, yet she knew that in some manner it was simply his nature to act in such a way. Opening her mouth she spoke, the exhaustion from such hours of inactivity and then their sudden row clear in her voice. "Do you really think that I'm such an unreliable whore? Is that what you've always thought, Sesshomaru?"

Not knowing exactly how to backpedal his was around the topic, the lord of the west decided he would once again have to suck up his pride for the little onna. Of course he didn't truly think her to an adulteress but the more primitive part of him still had the insecurity of centuries instilled possessiveness. It was obvious that he wouldn't have chosen her to be his life long companion if he wasn't nearly one hundred percent sure that she would be faithful to him, but what did such a young mortal girl know of inu youkai instincts? Could he really just come out and say that any time she was around another male it made him jealous as all hell? Kami, even seeing her talk to that depraved little toad retainer of his made the hair on the back of his neck bristle. Perhaps some of the reason lie in his rather recent finding of such deep feelings and his uncertainty that they were returned. "This Sesshomaru thinks no such thing. It is simply…challenging for this Sesshomaru to defuse his instinctual…concerns."

Not really knowing he meant by such 'instinctual concerns', Kagome decided that she would just drop it for now. What she really needed at the moment was a chance to talk with her mom about all of this, a chance to see what the woman who had raised her thought. Deciding to let Sesshomaru know that she still wished to return home she said, "Sesshomaru, I do still want to go home for a bit." Feeling him tense underneath her she added, "Just to talk to my mother about some things."

Although her admission of reasoning eased his mind a little bit, uncertainty still filled him. Would she come back if she left him? Well, he would not take that chance. "That is acceptable, mate, but this Sesshomaru shall accompany you."

Not really having the will or energy to fight about it Kagome simply nodded and stood, wanting to get away from this era as soon as possible. Sesshomaru seemed to understand and informed her in a few short words that he was going to inform their guests of their departure and assure them of their return in several days. Although she had some doubts about the return, Kagome nodded and waited patiently until he returned to her side, scooping her up without a word and launching them from the balcony, his demonic energy cloud beneath his feet.

The actual journey to the village she had become so familiar with was short and ended as suddenly as it began as they dropped to the ground right outside the perimeter of the village. Eyes turned longingly to the roughly formed houses she knew her friends to be in, she cast a quick glance at Sesshomaru before walking straight towards them, never turning her head to see if he had chosen to follow her.

An annoyed growl rang forth from his throat as he saw the direction the girl was headed in. He had _always_ hated these little towns; the fear he smelled as he walked through them was nearly suffocating and he was never one to have much patience for the bumbling fools that tried to speak with him. It was only to keep an eye on his intended mate that he followed into the village, wishing desperately to cover his nose from the reeking scent of human sweat and cowardice. Maintaining his composure as he had trained himself to do over the centuries, he was only a few steps behind his female when he noticed her breaking into a swift jog. For a moment he thought she was trying to escape him, but upon closer inspection he realized that she was darting towards a certain orange kit who was speeding in her direction. Before long the two met, the young kit leaping into the girl's arms and burrowing his head into the side of her neck.

The action caused a momentary flare of jealousy within his being which he quickly countered with the reasoning that the kit was far too young to be a rival for the girl's affections. Stepping closer he listened to child's incessant babbling. "Kagome-mama! I thought you left me! Where were you? Where's dumb Inuyasha? He didn't hurt you did he? Are you okay? What's scary Sesshomaru doing standing behind you? Do Sango and Miroku know you're here? Are you-"

The breathless rampage was soon cut short by the voice of said monk who was being trailed closely by the demon slayer Sango. Although their presence seemed a bit unnecessary to the western lord, he decided that he would tolerate it for a few moments at least. Tuning himself back into the conversation he listened as the purple garbed monk spoke. "We do now Shippo-chan. We are all very interested as to where you have been the past week Kagome-sama. Please, do tell."

Gulping and turning away from her friends the miko from the future answered, "I've been with Sesshomaru." Despite the surprised gasps of her former companions she continued, "We've been…um…" What could she honestly tell them, that she was practically head over heels in love with the seemingly emotionless lord that had tried to kill them all numerous times? Something told her that that wouldn't go over very well. It wasn't as if she could say that she'd been kidnapped and unwillingly held at western palace for that was not exactly true. Even if she had been given little choice in the matter of going, she had given her word that she would stay with him for at least a moon cycle. Oh Kami this was going to be harder than she had thought.

Sesshomaru, seeing the bout of indecision his intended mate was suffering from decided that it was his duty as her male to reply for her. "Kagome is going to become the mate of this Sesshomaru and lady of the Western Lands." A part of him was a bit saddened that she hadn't had enough pride in him as a male, a worthy male, to come out and directly explain the situation. Mentally reassuring himself that it mattered little at the present moment and that she would surely learn to be proud of their union, he turned his attention to the stunned faces of her shard collecting companions.

Sango, who was as usual one of the first to regain her composure, suddenly marched up to the demon lord and growled fiercely at him in what he personally thought was a very good imitation of angered feline youkai, too good perhaps. Redirecting his gaze a bit he saw a miniature fire cat baring her tiny teeth in his direction. Simply scoffing the cat's foolishness he drew his attention back to the female that seemed to be her mistress as the girl began to speak. "Did you force Kagome to go with you jackass? What did you do to her? What did you do to Inuyasha? Why the hell do you even want Kagome; don't you remember trying to kill her?"

Ignoring the sudden urge to snap the unruly female's neck, he decided that he would answer her last two questions. The first was something that Kagome would have to deal with. Although it would hurt him more than he let on, it was her choice whether she told them the truth behind their relationship and he would respect that. "Slayer, this Sesshomaru would advise that you do not wander so close to his person. As for my half brother, he has perished in battle. The boy is now in hell with the clay priestess. This Sesshomaru is also aware of trying to exterminate you, the monk and the half breed but it is impossible that he would have harmed his Kagome. She is a very worthy female."

As Kagome noticed the sudden change in her friends faces at the news of the hanyou, she felt a great wave of guilt wash over her once more. Could she really tell them that it was her fault that their leader was dead? And for that matter, why hadn't Sesshomaru just let them know that she had stayed with him willingly. Noticing the reserved yet a bit hurt look in his eyes she decided that she would come to his defense as he had done so many times for her. "Guys, Sesshomaru didn't force me to go anywhere; I agreed to stay with him. He wouldn't do that to me."

"What are you talking about Kagome," the irate slayer screamed. "This creep is a killer! He's going to turn around and stab you in the back with those nasty poisonous claws of his! What were you thinking going with him? You don't have to lie for him Kagome. We're here to protect you from the asshole now." Nimble fingers gripping the end of her youkai bone weapon, the last slayer was thoroughly surprised as a very angry Kagome blocked her path to the lord. Never had the two really fought, but to Sango it looked like that was about to change.

"Sango! I know what I'm talking about! Sesshomaru _wouldn't_ do that to me, okay? He's not going to stab me in the back or the front or even the side alright! I trust him! You don't need to protect me from him and I am NOT lying for him! Since when I have lied for anybody? Maybe we should be a little more focused on the fact that Inuyasha is gone than the fact that I've been spending some time with Sesshomaru!"

Chest swelling with pride at his female's quick defense of his character he took a step forward and wrapped his arms possessively around the girl's waist and nuzzled her neck, all the while glaring at the small group in front of them. If his mate insisted upon having such annoying mortal friends, they would at least have to learn how to show them proper respect. The next voice to permeate the air belonged to the priest and sounded much more calm than that of the slayer. "Indeed Kagome-sama. I am sorry for your loss." A lecherous gleam came into his violet eyes as he smoothly added, "Perhaps some of the devastation would be taken away if were to bare my child."

There was barely even a second between the time in which the words came out of Miroku's mouth and the time in which the snarl sounded from Sesshomaru. Pushing Kagome behind his larger form, he stepped up to the monk, his gaze directed downward as he towered over him. "Do not dare to proposition this Sesshomaru's female. The only pups she will be bearing will be sired from this Sesshomaru's seed. The female is mine. Is this Sesshomaru understood boy?" Normally, he would have ripped out the throat of anyone who dared to speak such bold words, yet in this instance he wasn't sure that his Kagome would truly appreciate his actions and thus contained himself. Drawing the girl to him once more, he waited for the frightened nod of the monk before he let his defense drop somewhat.

Kagome turned her head away from her friends, burying it in the white silk of the western lord's haori. She really needed to get out of here and talk to her mom. She had known that her friends wouldn't understand everything right away; it would take them some time to accept things. Besides, she was a sort of angry that they didn't even seem to care about Inuyasha's death. Sure he was a bit rough around the edges but he had been there for all of them when they needed him. Looking at her former companions, Kagome sighed. "Um, you guys, I need to go back home for a while." Directing her gaze to the little kit that was now standing at her feet she promised, "I'll be back though." She probably would have waited for a goodbye by Sesshomaru simply took off toward the well that she had indicated to him earlier.

Honestly, she wasn't even sure if the well would even let him pass through. Did she really want it to? Kami, she didn't know. Looking up at her silver haired lord, she nodded towards the well and explained, "Sesshomaru, I'm not sure that the well is going to let you through. I mean, the only person that was ever able to get through it with me was Inuyasha. I think we have to be connected some how for it to work." Pausing and waiting for a growling outburst, she was surprised to see the lord nod his head before smashing his thin lips against her own in a highly possessive kiss leaping into the well at the same time. The familiar blue light surrounded them and Kagome thought to herself, 'Well, I guess that's one way to be connected.' Before long she felt them stabilize on her side of the well. Turning to the dog lord as he launched them over the rim she said, "That worked."

Sesshomaru however barely understood her words due the overpowering stench that filtered up to his nose, nearly making his knees go weak. Snatching the girl to him once again, he buried his sensitive nose in the midnight tresses that adorned her head, desperately inhaling her heavenly scent in hopes of blocking out the million unpleasant ones. The moment she understood his actions, he knew for she relaxed in his arms and proceeded to rub her soft raven hair against his pale cheek in a comforting gesture. Eventually, he became accustomed to the smells of this new world and pulled away from her slightly, letting her lead him through the well house doors and out into the open. It was the most amazing sight he had ever seen in his long life. There were great metal beasts running along smoothed rock roads, incredibly architecturally endowed homes or what he guessed to be homes in organized lines and to his surprise, he couldn't catch the scent of a demon anywhere. Had humans truly come this far without the aid of demons? Where was his future self? He knew that he could not have perished yet, but where in Kami's name was he? The lord probably would have simply stood in the clipped grass, observing the world around him but he was pulled into one of the strange housing units, one which he deduced belonged to the girl's family.

Glad to be home, Kagome didn't really notice the demon lord's curious ponderings. Grasping the metal handle, she pulled open the door and was hit was a cool blast of air from the AC. Opening her mouth to call to her mother, she was suddenly tackled to the ground by a pint sized blur she knew to be her bother. Grabbing him back she laughed and smiled at him before asking, "How are you doing there? Staying out of trouble for once?"

"I'm always in trouble, Sis. Why are you home so early? Whose this? Where is Inuyasha? Do you think he'll play some more video games with me! He's sooo cool!" Not waiting for an answer, Souta lifted himself off of his older sister and walked up to the infamous Sesshomaru, making a sudden grab for the demon's fluffy tail and running the soft fur through his fingers. "Wow! This almost as cool as Inuyasha's ears! Do you have ears too? Why do you look like Inuyasha? Are you a half demon? Do you know where Inuyasha is? Do you want to play with me?"

Gulping as she noticed the quite agitated look on the demon lord's face, Kagome pulled her brother away from him and answered. "Souta, this is Inuyasha's older brother Sesshomaru. No, he doesn't have ears like Inuyasha and he isn't a half demon, he's a full dog demon." Remembering a certain bit of knowledge she acquired from her mother before leaving the previous week she smiled. Actually she had been pretty sure that she wouldn't be back in time for it to matter but life was funny that way. Besides, this way she would get to avoid the topic of Inuyasha's current location as she was not quite ready to let her brother know of his hero's death yet. "Hey Souta, it's Saturday isn't it? Aren't you going on a camping trip with your friend Mike?"

"Yeah, he should be here in a minute but I don't really want to go now! I want to stay here with you and Inuyasha's brother!"

"Uh," she said scratching her head, "Don't you get out of school for the next week though since you're going with him?"

"Oh yeah! Sorry Sis, I'm not staying here and having to go to stupid school just to see you…" At that moment a car horn could be heard blowing from the front yard and Kagome's mother emerged from the kitchen wearing a flowered apron. Ignoring her guest for the moment she gave her son his backpack that held clothing and snacks and kissed him goodbye before watching him run out the door. As soon as the car had driven out of sight, she closed the door once again, and dusted her hands across her apron.

"Well, Kagome, I didn't expect to see you so soon." Smiling she grabbed her only daughter in a rib crushing hug and kissed her on the cheek, happy to know that her Kagome was once again home safely. When she finally pulled away she glanced toward Sesshomaru and smiled charmingly, which he returned with a slight nod. "Oh, Kagome, who is your friend? Is Inuyasha coming? Should I put on some ramen for him?"

Sighing Kagome answered, "Mom, this is Lord Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's older brother. And about Inuyasha…there are some things I sort of need to talk with you about."

"Oh, of course sweetie. Well, Lord Sesshomaru, feel free to make yourself comfortable in the living room. It looks as if my daughter and I have some things to discuss. We'll be just upstairs if you need anything dear."

And just like that the lord of the western lands found himself alone in the oddly decorated house of his mate. Stepping into the room the woman had indicated earlier he used all of his senses for a quick inspection to make sure he was alone, before beginning his examination of the weird furnishings. Walking up to what seemed to be a seating ornament in the middle of the room, Sesshomaru curiously shoved his razor sharp claws through the soft cushioned material that covered the entire object. Finding that the inside was stuffed with some type of foreign, squishy substance, he deemed it safe and regally sat himself down on the thing. As he sunk into the cushions he gave a somewhat disgusted growl. Of course he appreciated comfort but what was the point of some elongated chair that you practically were swallowed into?

Beginning to raise himself, his clawed hand stumbled across a compactly sized black object, covered in what appeared to be buttons marked with different symbols. Sniffing the thing, he decided it was safe and lifted his thin finger to experimentally press the large red button in the corner of the device. Suddenly, a previously unnoticed black box sprang to life with a colored image, causing the lord to jump to his feet and take a defensive stance. Once he was quite sure nobody was coming, he walked up to the box and touched, it wondering how the demon had captured the human souls that were now portrayed to him. It was like the creatures refused to acknowledge him. As much as he growled and snarled, they seemed completely oblivious to his presence. Moving his palm over the screen he growled as he was shocked with what any modern person would have realized to be static electricity. Though in his mind, the damnable thing had just bit him. Baring his fangs at the device he moved away and paced into the corner of the room where another black box was located.

Pressing one of the many buttons that were displayed along the contraption's thin front, the lord literally fell to his stomach, rolling sideways as a cacophony of voices began to screech at him. Regaining his feet, he slammed his fist into the machine thoroughly dismantling it, putting a stop to all of the noise that the thing spewed forth. What was the point of such a thing? Was it some witch's box of indentured souls? Why in the world would his Kagome have such a thing? Deciding that he had done enough of his own exploring and that he would for his mate to acquaint him with her era, he retreated to a bare wall and sat cross legged at its base, leaning his back against it and closing his amber eyes.

Any peace that he might have obtained however was shortly disturbed as he felt a creature rubbing up against him. Cracking one eye open he growled as he looked down only to realize that it was some filthy feline brushing itself against him. Being a canine himself he held an instinctual hate for the breed and for the life of him he couldn't understand why his mate would have one in her home. Growling at the thing only served to further gain its attention and he refused to kill the animal seeing as it seemed to be Kagome's 'pet'. Trying to ignore the thing he only hoped that the girl would finish her conversation soon and come to his side once more.

Meanwhile, Kagome had trailed her mother up the rather steep staircase to the second story of their home and followed her into her own bedroom. Seeing all of her belongings and school books once again gave her a momentary feeling of satisfaction that seemed to die away as suddenly as it had come. Seeing her mother sit herself on the bed in the corner of the room Kagome followed suit and sat for a few awkward moments in silence before simply breaking down in the tears she had so long felt the need to release. As her mother's arms wrapped tightly around she could hear the soft shushing sound she made and her gentle voice as she asked, "What's wrong baby?"

Not even knowing where to start, Kagome began at the very beginning. Telling her mother everything. Everything that had hurt her, everything that had angered her, everything that had made her smile, everything that had made her cry, just everything. When she finally finished her tale, she looked towards her mother for some sort of answer, some sort of support and she was not disappointed. "Kagome, Inuyasha's death wasn't your fault. He died because he loved and he loved because you showed him love. Would you have died for him? Would you have wanted him to think that it was his fault? Wouldn't you have wanted him to carry on and be happy? Kagome, you're only making his death in vain; he wanted you to be happy and for him and for yourself, I think you should try to be."

Feeling a bit better now that she had gotten everything off of her chest and one of the most important people in her life, her mother, seemed to understand her Kagome felt a relieved. Although the guilt still pooled with like a lake, the proverbial water was now shallow enough to stand in where as before she had been practically drowning. A part of her knew that she would never truly get over the self blame she felt for the death of her best friend, yet another part of her understood what her mother was saying to her. Sighing deeply she rested her head on her mother's shoulder.

The older woman sighed as well, trying to fathom all her daughter had been through. She had only been fourteen when she had first started making her journeys to the past and it seemed as if each and every time she had left since then it had become harder and harder to let her go. The knowledge that she had a protector in Inuyasha had eased her worry little. Kagome had told her of the boy's relationship with the dead miko and it made her see him in a whole new light. True, there was once a time where she had fantasized about little puppy eared grandchildren, but she had quickly come to the realization that Inuyasha could never really make Kagome happy. Although it was quite obvious the boy felt at least some love for her little girl, it just wasn't enough for her. Kagome needed a man that would be able to handle her strong opinions and fiery spirit, all the while still being able to see her as the fragile little girl she was. Now, she didn't know much about this Sesshomaru character but she had already resolved to find time to have a private discussion with him. From what she understood mating in the demon world was like marriage and that was a big step. Wondering what her daughter felt for the man she asked, "Kagome honey, do you love him?"

Even though their conversation had been directed at Inuyasha, Kagome knew that it was Sesshomaru that her mother was speaking of. Honestly, yes, she did love him but she didn't know if she wanted to take that risk again. The last time she had offered heart to someone it had been returned in a million tiny pieces. Could she really go through that again with Sesshomaru? Would he actually do that to her? Deciding that her present feeling couldn't be based on an unpredictable future she answered truthfully, "Yes, I think I do."

Kagome's mother smiled at her daughter for a brief moment before she decided that it was time to drop the subject for now and speak on other matters. "Kagome, if you go through with this mating thing I'm guessing you won't be going to back to school, correct?"

Not having thought of that factor, Kagome chewed her bottom lip. Education had always been very important to her, seeing as how she believed in being an independent woman. Even when Inuyasha had been the love of her life she hadn't given up her schooling for him, what made Sesshomaru any different? Answering her own question she retorted mentally, 'well Inuyasha just wanted you around more to help him look for the dumb shards, Sesshomaru wants you around so that he can be near you and protect you.' Nodding in the affirmative, she let her mother know that her assumption was correct. Perhaps though, she could get some sort of home schooling materials and take them back with her to the palace moon. Even though she was giving up her formal schooling, that didn't mean that she was going to give up on her education all together.

Seeing the sad look in her daughter's eyes, Kagome's mother tried to lighten the mood a little bit. "Well, are you at least going to the dance tomorrow night to say goodbye to your friends?"

Never having known there even was a dance, the thought had never crossed Kagome's mind. Could she really just go out to a school dance for the night and pretend to be normal? Would that even be possible? The idea made her stomach flutter, knowing that a certain part of her had always just wanted a normal life. Even if it was only one night of pretend, she really wanted this. It was only when the voice of what was obviously a very impatient Sesshomaru that had most likely gotten tired of waiting for her cut into her thoughts that she was once again brought back to the tangible world. "Kagome will not be attending."

Even though the young woman's mother would have liked to go over and box the insolent demon's ears she stepped back to see how Kagome would handle the situation and in all honesty what she saw couldn't have made her happier. Her little girl had finally learned how to stand up for herself against Inuya-, well, Inuyasha's brother. Her little girl rose to her feet and marched directly in front of the overly intimidating demon and bit out a quick reply, "And why am I not going?"

Mentally cursing the defiant nature of his female, that he so loved at certain moments, Sesshomaru leaned forward. He would not allow his mate to go to some ridiculous mortal gathering where the eyes of such filthy, lustful, moraless men could rove over the soft curves of her body. No, human males were almost twice as direct about their sexual desires as most demon males and he did not wish for her to be exposed to that. "This Sesshomaru does not wish you to be immersed in a gathering of such moronic mortal creatures."

"Hey, buddy! I _am_ one of those moronic mortal creatures and I'm going whether you like it or not! It's my dance and my decision and you'll just have to get over it!"

Although her words were defensive, Sesshomaru caught the silent pleading undertones that lie within them. Fine, if the event meant that much to her than she would be allowed to go, but only under a certain condition. "Fine mate. You will be permitted to go as long as this Sesshomaru accompanies you."

Scoffing Kagome turned and walked to her closet, "Oh thank you might one!" It only took her a moment of searching through her attire to realize that she had absolutely nothing to wear. Spinning to face her mother in a panic, Kagome yelped, "What am I supposed to wear! Oh Kami, I need to go to the mall!"

Laughing at her daughter's amusing antics, Kagome's mother nodded and looked toward Sesshomaru. "And I'm supposing you'll wish to go with her?" At his curt nod, she left the room indicating for him to follow her. Reaching her own bedroom door she walked to the corner which held her late husband's attire and pulled out a pair of faded blue jeans, a long sleeved black t-shirt and a white collared shirt. Tossing them to the demon behind her she said, "You might want to put those on so you don't attract so much attention. There isn't any way for you to hide those marking on your face is there?"

Trying not to take offence at the uneducated reference to his royal birthing symbols, Sesshomaru shook his head. Even if he wanted to, which he did not, he couldn't make the marks fade. The woman shrugged and left him alone to change into what he found to be the most uncomfortable, constricting garments that he had ever worn. Steeping out of the room, he walked to the bottom of the stairs where he saw his intended mate. All the while, he was clueless as to what this 'mall' actually was, yet just a bit too proud to ask.

As Kagome finished packing up her wallet she smoothed down the short, yet flowing black skirt she had chosen to wear as well as her fitted white long sleeved shirt. Although she had chosen to leave her hair down, she could still see perfectly the godly form of the demon coming down the steps in her direction. Wow, if she had known that he would look this good in modern clothing she might have insisted upon them before. As her mother gave them a quick goodbye, Kagome felt her demonic suitor wrap his arm tightly around her waist. It was only when they were half way out the door that she realized he was trying to keep himself from falling over at all the scents that were hitting him. Kami, if it had been hard for Inuyasha to function in her time she couldn't imagine what it was like for Sesshomaru. Receiving a look that told her he would be fine momentarily, the pair stepped out onto the sidewalk and started in the direction of the Tokyo city mall.

Back in the Feudal Era with Naraku:

Raven hair slicked down to his own forehead, saturated in sweat, the infamous spider hanyou Naraku pounded his large, fisted hand into the already cracked mirror that hung opposite him, effectively smashing the glass into hundreds of tiny specks. The pinching, burning sensation of all the tiny flying shards, piercing his nude skin momentarily took the ache away from the straining erection which he was currently suffering from. He'd had another dream about the girl, only this time it had been even more realistic than he had thought possible. She had come to him, wrapped in a revealing robe with his personal insignia embroidered across it, kneeling at his feet and begging tearfully for forgiveness for her transgressions against him. Although he had know even in the dream that he would instantaneously forgive her, he recalled dragging out the girl's torture, asking her how he knew she would be true to him. At his mention of such reassurance, the lovely miko had reached her tiny hands upward, affectively untying the knot in his hakamas which he was quick to step out of.

It had been only a moment before her small mouth had been on him, massaging him and sucking him deeply. One thing had simply led to another and soon enough she had been underneath him, begging him for more, to pound her faster and harder. Mmm, it had indeed been a delicious dream however there were only two matters that truly bothered him about the whole thing. The first was, of course, that he had accidentally awoken himself before he could spill his seed and gain some relief. The second, more stirring trouble had been that he had distinctly remembered demanding to the girl to declare her love for him. Did he truly wish for her deepest affections that badly? What in hell's name was becoming of him? Shaking his head he realized it wouldn't matter, for soon his little bitch would be at his side day and night.

Growling, he recalled the events of the previous afternoon, seeing the pair jump down the well and disappear from even the sight of his enchanted mirror. After throwing a very eccentric temper tantrum, he had traveled to the well on his own but was unfortunately not able to follow his female no matter what method he seemed to try. How dare that damn inu think he could simply disappear with _his_ bitch? When he finally gave into the idea that he would not be able to follow him, he had spread a minute amount of his demonic energy about the clearing, thus being able to know the exact second the damnable dog returned with his mate.

His quick trip back to his dilapidated manor had been mostly a haze of bloody and useless slaughtering in a vain attempt to keep the creeping thought that his Kagome could be being claimed right now from his mind. True, he could simply kill the inu and reverse his mark. Although it would be terribly painful for the girl, upon the western lord's death it would be possible. However, that was quite beside the point for he wished to be the only male that ever had the privilege of entering her. Stepping out onto the cracked balcony where a crisp, cool rain was falling from the navy skies, Naraku willed the freezing sensation to clear him of his arousal. Bearing his fangs at no one in particular, he promised that he would make the Taiyoukai pay for every agonizing moment of arousal he had gone through, only now he would have to change his plans due to their sudden trip. Flipping his now soaked hair over his bare shoulder, he scoffed angrily and stomped back into the darkened room he had been occupying, all the while his twisted mind thinking of all of the sadistic sexual things he wished to try with his mate. Hm, perhaps he would even make the lord watch; that would show him to keep his filthy dog paws away from what didn't belong to him.

A/N: Okay well, that chapter wasn't even supposed to happen. I honestly have no idea where it came from since it wasn't in the plot that I had originally worked out. I just sort of sat down at the computer at five in the afternoon and didn't end up getting off until midnight. Oh well, I guess that's okay. Anyway here you go and please review for me!


	26. Chapter 26

Author's Note: Well, here we are again with the next installment to what is turning out to be a much longer than I planned story. You know, when I wrote the first chapter of this I had originally intended for it to be completed in three chapters…ha, so much for that idea I guess. Anyway, thanks once again for all of your support and reviews.

Having shortened his usually much lengthier, not mention considerably quicker strides, in part so that his female could keep up with his pace and in part so that he could more thoroughly observe his surroundings, the lord of the west allowed himself to relax a bit. A cool breeze blew in his direction, lightly whipping his silver tresses about his pointed face and carrying with it the scent of toxins. Now, said poisons were not as distinct or direct as his own personally secreted substance, but they were nonetheless identifiable and he was quite curious as to where they had come from. Had the reign of humans become so complete that they had finally managed to contaminate their own air with their self destructive habits? Mentally shrugging off his own question, the regally distinguished inu youkai glanced over his shoulder at the young miko he currently had his arm draped around. Not only did this serve his purpose as to insure the girl didn't go wandering off, it also seemed to be a sign of possession to human males, even if it was only on an instinctual level.

Speaking of which, it truly was a shame as it seemed that mortals in this era had lost even more of their practically nonexistent primal impulses. In truth, it was never really their mortality that had bothered him, but the fact that they could be so blatantly out of touch with their natural responses. It was almost as if they had deliberately tried to disconnect themselves with that which could have made them thrive as a race. Actually, his lack of respect for the ningen species was a direct derivative from this fact. It was partially this fact that had him so utterly astounded that they had seemed to be the dominate race or at least have outlasted his own species. True, humans were much more plentiful in number due to their vile habits of unattached fornication but they had never honestly been much of a match for a demon, even in numbers. Hm, their only intact instinctual calling was that of responsive cowardice.

It was only when a seemingly mortal man brushed by him that he realized the answer to all, or at least most of his questions. Being a demon himself the man's demonic energy had immediately reacted to his own, letting him know that there were still indeed demons actively participating in society, they had simply found a new way of masking their auras. But why? Why would they feel the need to hide themselves from a race they could so easily defeat if it were to come down to that? What purpose did hiding themselves serve? Was there some more eminent, yet less apparent threat than the swelling ningen population? Deciding that he would indeed know when the time came, namely in another five hundred years, Sesshomaru concluded that the entire matter was no longer worth his ponderous thoughts. As long as he was assured that his race had not yet died out, he could wait for the rest of the specifics on the matter.

That didn't however, deter his thoughts about his own future. What was his role in this seemingly relaxed mortal majority driven world? Although he was quite sure that he would adapt over time as the inventions came and went it did very little to appease his curiosity. The lord of the west was just beginning to mentally delve into all of the possibilities when he found himself stopped outside a huge, modernly structured building covered with plates of finely crafted glass and colorful banners. So this was a mall? It didn't seem like any of the trade or even sale markets he had passed through before. For in all honesty, he had only ever passed through them, never having seen any real reason for him to do his own shopping when there were plenty of servants that could do it for him. As his female led him towards a pair of very odd looking doors, the Taiyoukai reached out for the handle of the door only to be thoroughly yet not visibly startled as the awkward contraption flung itself open.

Kagome, who had to contain her giggles at the tensing of the infamously fearless western dog lord, stepped through the entrance and turned back to Sesshomaru, only to already feel his steel like arm around her once again. Wondering as to his thoughts on the new surroundings, she gave a gentle tug on his sleeve and waited until he looked downward in her direction. "So, what do you think?"

As he had been wondering that himself, he took a moment to answer. What did he think? Well, he was curious as to the purposes of all the inventions around him and their origins, but yet he was also a bit bitter that most of them seemed to have come from the minds of mortals. Had his race truly regressed that much in comparison with the swiftly evolving ningen species? Reminding himself that he had decided not to worry on the matter seeing it was not in his immediate future and therefore not of his immediate concern, Sesshomaru answered, "This Sesshomaru finds your world curious mate. As to what the many contraptions do this Sesshomaru is ill informed. Hm, there are many humans."

Nearly rolling her sapphire eyes at his ever so predictable response, Kagome made a sharp left along the path that cut through the department store they had just entered and came to stop under the fluorescently lighted sign signifying the beginning of the women's clothing department. Making her way to the back where she knew the more formal dresses and changing rooms to be, the miko dragged her demonic suitor behind her. Eyes widening at the seemingly endless supplies of varying gowns before her, Kagome gulped lightly and decided to set to work looking through the wrack positioned directly in front of her. Meanwhile, the amber eyes of the unaccustomed western lord narrowed at the quite revealing selection of what he supposed to be women's formal wear in this century. Struggling not to spit in disgust, Sesshomaru recalled another of the reasons why mortals tended to annoy him. Their values and sense of modesty were atrocious.

How was one to respect a female that walked around in such contraptions? After a quick glance towards his own woman, he began to observe the many flimsy garbs, wondering if the humans knew the meanings of such cuts and tailoring. The first he examined had been what looked to be a snuggly fitting red gown, opening in a wide v like shape across the front. Did these females know that by exposing such a vast amount of the vital arteries on their necks, their most vulnerable and symbolic region, that they were practically declaring there submission to the first male that strolled by. Where was the honor in that? Hm, such knowledge had been the base for the reasoning behind all of the highly collared kimonos he had had sewn for his mate. Although he himself would have liked to have been able to see her lightly beating pulse point and thick jugular muscles, he would not grant such a view to any other.

Gaze turning to the next garment, Sesshomaru nearly tore the thing to pieces himself. What in the world were these mortals thinking? The damnable thing was a deep navy in color with some kind of sparkling veil over the rich silk fabric, yet was completely ruined by the horrid length of the actual dress portion. Yes, he had kimonos for his Kagome that were similar in length but those were and had been tailored only to be worn in his own presence, not to any social gatherings. The whole thing seemed like some terribly vivid prayer to the great Kami to send some male sniffing around one's legs. Although he doubted it for many obvious reasons, the western lord wondered if any of these humans knew the significance behind certain portions of the female body. It was a subject that was learned by all demon males in his time, and though he had thought it to be useless babbling at the time he had now come to very much respect it.

Recalling his old lessons, he mentally reviewed what each section upon a female indicated. Hm, like he had already reviewed, the neck was an area representative of submission and the legs were an actual invitation of fornication. As he remembered it, the back was an area only exposed to one's mate in a great display of trust, seeing as one could not hold visual guard behind oneself and the smooth plains of the feminine stomach was symbolic of the future and any pups the female might mother. By exposing such an area, the woman was blatantly inviting any male to sire her with their seed. Scoffing at how completely clueless those of mortal blood tended to be the dog prince made the decision that he would not permit his own female to dress in such a manner.

It was in that moment that Kagome, who had finally narrowed her selection down to three gowns, motioned for the demon lord to follow her. Knowing that he was about to protest without even having seen her choices, the miko rushed into the small changing stall before her and whipped the door shut, much to the displeasure of her escort who was currently sending a low warning growl through the entire area. What in all hells was his mate thinking changing in such a place where there were unknown males wondering every which way. Nearly plastering himself to the door, Sesshomaru looked around observing the responses of what his beast saw as rivals for the girl's affection. Most completely ignored his steady snarl, but two, whom he assumed to be of demonic origin by their reaction to his instinctual claiming, nodded in his direction without making eye contact before turning themselves to stride away in the completely opposite direction. Still a bit on edge due to the humans' non existent retreat from the area, Sesshomaru swung his silver head as the off white door opened once more to reveal his woman.

Taking a minute to inspect her form, the lord nearly tackled the girl back into the tiny room before giving her an angry glare. The light blue gown she wore tightened around her hips in a tantalizing manner while the fabric stopped only at mid thigh. To make matters worse there were no straps as he had seen on the other dresses and it completely exposed everything above the line of her bosom. Now, had Sesshomaru known that in comparison with most modern fashions that his Kagome's dress was very reasonable he may have had a different opinion, yet not being aware of such things he growled, "Absolutely not, mate. You will not be wearing such a revealing garb in front of anyone but this Sesshomaru. It shows much more of you than this Sesshomaru is willing to share."

Kagome, who was a bit angered at the dog lord's reaction gave him rather huffy glance before shoving him out of the stall and locking the door once again. Slipping out the first dress she had been considering, she made a face at herself in the mirror. What was his problem? It wasn't like she had looked trashy like she knew a lot of the girls would, so what was his deal? Chalking it up to more of his ridiculous demonic instincts, Kagome opened the door and placed her hands on her rounded hips waiting for his response. The dress what was currently wearing was a rich crimson color, reminding her almost of blood. The upper part was constructed like a halter top and wrapped around her neck in a tight loop, exposing her back before dropping down into a flowing skirt that reached the tops of her knees. Spinning around for her future mate, she smiled at him only to receive another cold glare at which she grunted and stalked back into the changing room. If he didn't like the next one then that was his own damn problem.

Angered that she would think to expose so much of her bare back to anyone but himself, Sesshomaru crossed his arms in a good imitation of a moody teenager and sent glares at all the human walking by. He could easily scent the arousal coming off the women that passed him and it thoroughly disgusted him. Even the few that seemed to have mates had such a response and he only thanked Kami that his Kagome wasn't like that. Even worse, he could sense the curiosity rolling from the men that passed by as they slowed their walk just to see what the female behind the door would look like. Glaring at them until they finally sped up again and were out of site, the inu heard the door to the stall opening and glanced at the third selection his female had made. This one was a simply midnight black, closely resembling the color of her hair and had a high elegant collar that wrapped around her neck and stylish long sleeves that clung tightly to her arms. The material was stretched thinly across her breasts and her flat stomach, only to perfectly out line the girl's rounded hips and come to a stop at mid thigh.

Although it was much more revealing than he would have liked, he decided that this seemed to be the best choice out of the completely awful selection and nodded lightly, at which the girl reentered the box like station to change into her normal clothing. Shifting the uncomfortable erection that he was now sporting against the tight confines of his denim blue jeans, Sesshomaru bared his massive incisors at the thought that the dress would create such a reaction in other males as well. Normally, his arrogant side pushed him to show off whatever he had and revel in the jealousy of his peers, but this was different. Kagome was not a possession, but a mate. Watching as the girl exited the stall, he followed her to some strange table where her selection of gown was bagged in some odd thinly stretched material and handed to her in exchange for what appeared to be currency.

Finishing out her purchase, Kagome drug her shopping companion out of the store and into one of the many hall like branches of the mall that was lined on either side by numerous stores carrying various goods. Looking back at Sesshomaru, she was about to ask him what he had thought of her dress when his amber eyes locked with hers and he began to speak, once again pulling her to his warm, muscled form. "Onna, this Sesshomaru does not approve of your selection of gown for this event we will be attending but it shall be tolerated with the knowledge that you will stay on the arm of this Sesshomaru every minute of the gathering. Is this clear?"

Ignoring his question, the priestess asked one of her own, "Do I really look that bad in it? I mean I know I'm a not a model or anything but I didn't think I looked horrible."

Taken aback that his gorgeous mate would think such a thing Sesshomaru realized the misunderstanding she was currently suffering from and sought to relieve her of such illusions. "Mate, it is not that this Sesshomaru thinks you unattractive, it is that you are too attractive and will invoke the lust of other males." Gently grabbing her hand and brushing it swiftly against his still semi erect arousal, Sesshomaru brought them to a stop for a quick moment and gazed down at her. "You belong to this Sesshomaru and such a reaction from other males is unacceptable."

Nodding in what was half understanding and half embarrassment, Kagome crossed to the other side other side of the mall with her faithful inu close behind her and entered a fairly recently built shoe store. Nodding at the clerk behind the desk and flashing him her award winning smile, the girl pranced to the back of the store where she had spotted the more classy, formal footwear. Wriggling free from Sesshomaru's tight grip, Kagome walked up to the shelves to observe the shoes that were already being taken in by a pair of amber eyes. Wondering as to how any woman could even walk in such ridiculous things, Sesshomaru mentally questioned as to the purpose of such things. What had happened to the small, flat silken slippers that females in his time wore. Deciding to ask his woman who was currently on her knees looking at some small, black heeled shoes that lifted about two inches and laced fully up her shins in ribbons. "Mate, what is the purpose of such shoes?"

Blushing since she had never really understood either, Kagome recited what she had been told. "They accentuate a woman's legs." Brow furrowing, the inu lord frowned. His female's legs needed no accentuating. Shrugging it off, he saw her nod to herself and pick up the pair of heels she had been looking at before he followed her off to the register where she repeated what seemed to be some type of payment process. Drawing her to him as they exited the store, he shot the male behind the counter a warning glance. The boy's arousal had saturated the air until he was practically choking.

Strolling down the hall, Sesshomaru glanced at the people around him. Their behavior was odd, not to mention entirely rude and ridiculous. Sighing to himself, he tightened his hold on the little female by his side at the thought of how she was nothing like the rest of her race. His attention was suddenly drawn to a human that was looking at his Kagome and giving a poor whistling imitation of a wolf's mating call. "Hey babes, you wanna go back to my place and have some fun with a real man?" Now completely aware of the all the looks his mate was getting from passing males, he drew her even closer to him and bared his fangs at the boy who had dared to speak so disrespectfully. Stopping at the young human's next words, the western lord swung around, dragging Kagome with him. "Yo, man you wanna share with me? How much? Will like twenty bucks get me a ride? Your hoe is hot!" Grinning stupidly at what was obviously a failed attempt as seduction, the offender devoured the miko with his eyes.

Pushing Kagome behind him with a jealous, possessive glare at the boy, he tried to remind himself not to expose any of his demonic abilities to the human seeing as demons in this time obviously had some reason for wanting to stay hidden. "Boy, it is not wise to speak so disrespectfully of this Sesshomaru's mate."

Laughing the young man said, "Hey, what's with the third person? And what do you mean mate? Is that like a special kind of whore? Are you two one of those dominant submissive pairs? Pretty kinky, huh."

Outraged that the boy would even think to refer to the sacred position of a mate as at all comparable to a concubine, Sesshomaru momentarily forgot himself and growled causing the boy's eyes to go wide. And what in the seven hells did he mean by dominant submissive pair? Of course he was dominant, he was the male. Raising his arms to simply break the ningen boy's nose he felt small fingers wrap around his closed fist and heard the voice of his intended mate. "No, don't Sesshomaru. Please…let's just go." It was only the desperate, begging tone in her voice that made him turn around and march away, but not before shooting another glare at the insolent ningen. Still not completely calm from the last incident, Sesshomaru nearly tackled a man to the ground as he saw him reach to grab his female's had.

Observing closely as the swiftly speaking human poured a generous amount of what he assumed to be lotion on the girl's tiny hands, Sesshomaru finally took a moment to take in the cart behind the man and suddenly realized that the ningen must have been a merchant of some sort, peddling his goods at this market known as the 'mall'. Although he now understood the mortal's behavior, it didn't mean that he wasn't appalled by it. Back in his era, a male that dared to be so forward or come into such immediate contact with a female that was already spoken for would suffer terrible dishonor and a fair amount of scorn. How had such an action become acceptable over the years, it was almost as if the belief system that had been held years ago had been completely disregarded. Seeing his mate pull away from the man, he gripped her once more and directed her away from the insolent being.

The miko, who had very clearly sensed Sesshomaru's agitation, sighed as they walked away from the pushy young man. Her protective inu youkai obviously wasn't ready for the mannerisms of mortals in the future. Hopefully if he lived that long, he would be able to make a smoother gradual transition although she somehow knew he would always cling to his old beliefs. Hm, if she was gifted with his lifespan, that meant she would be around as well. Nearly choking on the bit of information she had not at all processed before Kagome tried to redirect her mind as they entered a small yet proper looking jewelry store. Darting her gaze in each respective direction, the young woman found what she was looking for and strode forward to the corner of the tiny establishment that held the least lavish and expensive jewelry. Sure, she felt a bit shallow for feeling like she needed to have some costly thing to make her feel special but just this once she would let her conscious slide. This was, after all, one of the last times she would ever be seeing her friends.

Confused, the Taiyoukai of the west blinked his honeyed golden eyes as his female walked into the store full of goods that were actually familiar to him and walked directly to the back corner where he had previously spotted all of the most modest gems. Wondering for a blank moment why she felt the need to buy such common things, the inu lord nearly growled at his own stupidity as the realization hit him. She was paying. He, the male and the provider who had promised to take care of her every want and need, had simply been standing by in unconcerned compliance while she had traded away her own hard earned money. Frustration clouded him as he also noted that he had none of the human paper that seemed to be so valued. Fisting his hand until his knuckles shown in a bright white color, Sesshomaru suddenly came across the solution to his problem. Adorning his hand were a set of three rings, each centered around a priceless gem and bathed in gold and other small stones. The first had actually been one of the many western insignia markings that he had inherited. Never particularly liking it he was quite sure that she could find something indefinably similar. The other two were signs of his noble birth and claims to his inu heritage, both of which could be easily replaced. Hm, it had been so long he had almost forgotten he wore the small tokens.

Leaving his female's side for a moment with a wordless promise to return, he marched up to the bored looking young human girl behind the counter. Coming to a stop before her, he was actually forced to clear his regal throat to get the wench's attention. And by Kami how a part of him wished that he hadn't. The smell of vivid physical lust tainted her scent that had already been insufferably dosed in some strong artificial fragrance. Making eye contact with the woman, he spoke before she had a chance to comment. "This Sesshomaru will be trading these for some form of currency," he said shoving the rings across the glass countertop. Watching as the human's eyes widened at what would seem to be very rare artifacts in this time, the inu lord cast his gaze downward only to come across a silver plated necklace, adorned with several sapphires that were a perfect match to the girl's own blue orbs and a few emeralds that also were interspersed throughout but not too heavily planted as to look gaudy and a matching bracelet.

Glancing up at the woman who had been momentarily referencing some old book as to the amount she could give him for his items, he added, "And this Sesshomaru also wishes to obtain these," he said indicating the set he had chosen. Not paying attention as the woman babbled on about ancient ceremonial jewels, he simply waited until she had finished counting out the heap of bills she pushed towards him and the now boxed and bagged jeweled set, he turned away from her immediately even as she invited him to lunch with her. Disgusting, it was not a female's place to ask such things of a male. Walking back over to his woman and dragging her protesting form out of the store he stopped himself outside the arched door to explain the situation to his obviously confused mate. "Mate, cease your struggling. This Sesshomaru has taken care of the matter."

Annoyed at the sudden return of his all-knowing front, Kagome let out an indignant sound before crossing her arms and turning her head away from the dog demon. Why did he have to be this way all of the time? Was it juts another one of his inu traits or was he really just an arrogant prick? Somehow, she figured that it was a combination of both. Feeling his hands leave her, Kagome glanced in his direction only to see him holding out a small black box, housing a spectacular jeweled set. Momentarily realizing that he couldn't have possibly had the money to pay for such things, the girl was about to through herself into a fit of panic but Sesshomaru beat her to it with his explanation. "Onna, like this Sesshomaru said, calm yourself. This Sesshomaru has simply traded his own gems for some of this future currency and such trinkets. As the male this Sesshomaru shall maintain the role of provider. That is not open to discussion, mate." Still confused as to what in the world had taken place, the miko decided to dismiss it in favor of simply leaning herself against the outside wall of the store and sighing. It was only when the girl heard her name that she reopened her previously shut lids and glanced in the direction of the sound. Great, this was just what she needed right now.

Sesshomaru, who had also heard the sound of his mate's name watched tensely as his female plastered an obviously fake smile on her delicate face and turned to face the three young mortal females that were now moving in their direction. It seemed as if she was familiar with ningen group, but he swiftly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him as a precaution. The next moment the annoying grating sound of the young women's voices nearly caused him to flinch with the pain that filled his sensitive ears.

"Kagome! What are you doing here? Don't you have malaria? Are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah, you haven't been in school. Whose this? Is this that idiot Inuyasha boyfriend of yours? That was his name right? You know, he was such a jerk to you."

"So, Kags, aren't you going to introduce us to your friend?"

Gulping Kagome tried her hardest to keep up with her friend's incessant questions. Actually friends might have been the wrong term, sure, they had at one point been her best friends but almost immediately after she had fallen into the well she was forced to realize how immature they truly were. Now, it was more like an obligation that she speak with them. "Hi guys! I'm just here looking around for the dance tomorrow night you know." Having flinched at the mention of another one of her grandpa's diseases, she added. "I'm feeling fine, turns out it wasn't malaria after all. The doctors just made a mistake. This is Sesshomaru, not Inuyasha and I'm sure he's very happy to meet you all." Elbowing the demon lord slightly he gave the group a small nod and glanced back down at his female.

Stunned that anyone would ever mistake him for the vile half breed mutt, Sesshomaru turned his indignant gaze towards the annoying mortal women in front of him. Mind twisting in wonder he questioned, what in all hells a 'boyfriend' was and why they think his ridiculous pup brother to be hers? Hm, from what he could deduce thus far from their observation and conclusions of his own actions, this 'boyfriend' must be male in close relation. Sighing inaudibly, the western lord turned his attention back to the conversation that was presently taking place, resolving to ask his mate what such a term meant when they were once again alone.

"That's great Kags! You know, we didn't think you'd be coming. Have you seen Hojo-kun lately, I bet he'd like to ask you if-"

Cutting her friend off before the ridiculous girl said something that would make her current escort antsy, Kagome gulped. "No, no I haven't. Well, um we'd better be going. Hopefully I'll see you guys tomorrow night." Pivoting on her outside foot and dragging an all too willing Sesshomaru along with her, Kagome flashed the girls a smile and without even bothering to make eye contact with them again spouted out a quick, squeaky, "Goodbye!" Walking faster than she normally would have, Kagome mentally relaxed once again; honestly, she had been nearly ready to throttle her moronic friends. What in the world did they think Sesshomaru was? Her cousin? Wasn't it fairly obvious that if she was with Sesshomaru, she wouldn't be going to the dance with Hojo? Truly, after years of avoiding the boy's attentions, Kagome had finally just come to the conclusion that he was just too, well too boring. Perhaps if he had approached her before she had been drug into the feudal era, but no. Now that she knew there were such bold and fascinating men she wasn't sure she would ever be able to settle for someone like Hojo. Kami, she could only hope that she didn't run into him at all while she was with Sesshomaru. Said demon lord, whose mind was swimming with questions, looked to the female beside him and decided that it was his right as her mate to receive answers. "Mate, what is this boyfriend they speak of?"

Mind suddenly freezing over like a lake in winter, the miko fumbled for words that would accurately explain the position without giving him a reason to become furious. Knowing that she simply couldn't be general about it, Kagome went for the most nonchalant response she could think of. "Oh, you know, just a guy you hang out with."

Although he wasn't exactly familiar with the term 'hang out', Sesshomaru was far from stupid and easily came to the conclusion his mate was trying her best to be elusive in responding to his former query. Releasing a light reprimanding growl and gently putting a bit more pressure on the girl's side he listened to her added words. "Um, well, a boyfriend is…a boyfriend is well, um…you know." Making his annoyance much more visible, the usually stoic lord's face curved into a small frown while his warm amber eyes narrowed marginally.

Biting out a snappish warning he retorted, "No, mate. This Sesshomaru does not know and it is foolish to presume such seeing as the question was asked. Do you think this Sesshomaru a fool?"

Flinching at the nearly tangible irritation in his clipped tone, the priestess just decided to get the explanation over with; maybe if she was lucky he would just nod and forget about it. "A boyfriend is sort of like, um," for a brief moment she struggled to think of a comparison that he would be able to relate to before she recovered with, "A suitor. A boyfriend is sort of like a suitor. You know, like you do things together and are sort of a couple. Do you know what I mean?"

Unfortunately, Sesshomaru finally _did_ understand what she had been so reluctant to communicate with him and he was immeasurably displeased. Suitor? Yes, 'boyfriend' was quite a silly name for one who partook in a courtship for courting was most certainly for men and not boys. But, more over, why would those wenches have assumed his brother to be a contender for Kagome's hand? Snapping his teeth at the thought, he felt the shiver of nervousness that ran through the supple body of his mate, but at the moment he was a bit too far into his own personal thoughts to care. Would she have considered his brother to be her 'boyfriend?' Did she now consider him to be the pup's replacement? Well, he simply refused. There was no way in all of the seven hells that he would ever be a substitute for the half blood and that was nonnegotiable, completely nonnegotiable. "Onna, why would they have referred to the half breed as your 'boyfriend'?"

The miko's shoulders slumped as she began to walk a little slower. True, she had never actually claimed that Inuyasha was her boyfriend but when she had spoken of him they had apparently just assumed and she never bothered to correct them. At the time it had felt good to have someone think of them as a pair, Inuyasha and Kagome instead of Inuyasha and Kikyo. But, what did she tell Sesshomaru now? No matter what she said she knew that he was going to have some problem with it and she just wasn't in the mood for any of his bullshit at the moment. "Does it really matter? He wasn't, okay."

"Yes, bitch, it does matter. Would you have wished him to fill such a position?"

She didn't know. Would she have liked to have been Inuyasha's girlfriend? Sure, she had spent hours thinking about it and fantasizing about him professing his undying love to her but could she have handled it in real life? Would she have been able to cope with the knowledge that his loved for her might very well be based off of his love for another? She didn't know. Tossing her silky, raven hair over her shoulder she shrugged in a sign of indifference towards her companion. "I don't know Sesshomaru. Maybe if things had been different, but not with the way things were."

Hearing the pain in her soft, cracking voice, the mighty inu lord pushed back his own emotions and decided that it would be best to change the present subject. Besides, there was still one thing that he was wondering avidly about. "Who is this Hojo they spoke of? What is he to you?"

Giving an honest laugh at the trace amounts of jealousy she had heard underlying his composed tone, she smiled up at him in an attempt to forget their previous conversation. "Hojo is just this guy that's been trying to get me to go out with him for a while now." Aware of the confusion that flashed across his features at the modern expression of 'going out' she explained herself. "Going out is sort of like what you would call courting, I guess. I mean you go on a date, er, spend some time together and go somewhere. Don't worry though; Hojo-kun definitely isn't my type."

"This Sesshomaru is never worried, woman." Oh, how untrue that was. Ignoring the mocking voice of his conscience, the dog lord relaxed a bit. Well, it would seem his Kagome didn't consider this male a serious player in the race for his affections so he would presently not worry on the matter. Hm, however, if the boy did happen to make his presence known the inu would be sure to make it clear as to who the girl belonged. Seeing his mate break away from him and position herself on an odd moving contraption, somewhat resembling a staircase made of silver, he was quick to reach out a long arm and jerk her back to his chest. "Mate, what do you think you are doing?"

"It's just an escalator Sesshomaru. I was just going to go down stairs so we could grab something to eat; I'm pretty much starved."

Taking in her words, the dog prince peered over the side of the evil looking contraption, pulled the girl into his toned arms and leapt over the side, managing to land on his feet with perfect, yet ironic cat like grace. Ignoring the stunned gazes of the people around him he placed a chaste kiss on the top of his mate's head before hearing her gasping voice. "What was that? What did you think you were doing? You can't just go jumping off ledges like that! Kami!"

"Quiet mate. The device was not to be trusted. The journey was much safer this way." Listening to the girl grumbling to herself, he set her gently down on the ground before casting a steely glance across the crowd that had gathered around them, quickly causing them to disband. Examining his surroundings, Sesshomaru realized that they must have arrived in some sort of food market, seeing as his overly sensitive nose could clearly pick out the scent of frying fats and sizzling oils. Following his blushing mate, he sat down at the table she indicated while she took her place across from him.

"So, um, what do you want to eat? They've got Chinese, burgers, fires, candy, salads but I wouldn't suggest them that place is a little iffy, subs…anything sound appealing to you?" Watching his expression as his nose wrinkled in an obvious display of distaste, Kagome giggled and sighed. "Yeah, I know, not the best choices but hey at least it's something. I think I'll get a burger, do you just want that?"

Confused as to what any of these foreign meals were, the lord simply nodded and followed his female to a thoroughly disgusting looking counter, filled with the odor of human sweat and dirt. "Um, hm, can I just have a plain burger please?" The man grunted and turned to him. Gazing out of the corner of his eyes at the confection that was this so called burger, he spoke authoritatively, "This Sesshomaru would like his prepared raw." At this, both Kagome and the disheveled looking attendant turned to him with open mouths. It was Kagome, who knew more of his true nature, that recovered herself first and nodded at the man, seemingly pretending nothing out of the ordinary occurred.

When their food was finally given to them on a scratched, plastic blue tray, Sesshomaru was quick to toss a wad of money at the wide eyed cashier, before he picked up the platter and made his way back to their previous seats. Waiting until his female was seated before he took his own, the inu poked curiously at the pinkish gooey substance before him, seriously doubting that this could be actual meat. Meanwhile, an amused Kagome was smiling at him as she bit into her own burger. "Don't worry; it's not going to kill you."

Glancing up at the girl before turning his attention once again to the dish, the youkai offhandedly spoke, "Hm, this Sesshomaru has very valid reason to believe otherwise. Do you know what is in this mate?"

Nearly gagging on the food that she was presently chewing Kagome was about to let him know that she had no desire to know what was in it before she was cut off by the voice of the person she least wanted to see right now. "Kagome!" The pair both lifted their eyes to the approaching black haired boy, Sesshomaru tensing and Kagome practically crying in self pity before she forced on another one of her cheery facades. "Kagome, I'm surprised to see you her! Are you feeling better?" Fumbling through a bag that was draped over his arm, the boy produced a very large tub of bug repellant, handing it to the confused girl. "I heard you had malaria, so I went to the library to research it. Turns out that the disease is spread through the African tsetse fly, so I got you this."

Looking up at the grinning face before her, Kagome nodded. "Thanks, Hojo! That was really sweet of you. I'm feeling fine now though." Hearing the agitated snarl of Sesshomaru Kagome decided that the only proper thing to do would be to introduce them. "Um, Hojo, this is my friend Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru this is Hojo." Sticking his hand out in greeting, the young man was met only with the cold gaze of the silver haired being in front of him.

Face falling the boy turned to Kagome and asked, "Are you two…um…"

Instantly understanding his meaning, Kagome fumbled for the words to explain their relationship without sounding completely psychotic. "No, um, I mean yes, I mean no, I mean…we're just friends."

Smile once again gracing his boyish features, Hojo asked, "So then, it would be okay if I asked you to accompany me to the dance tomorrow night?"

Having had quite enough of the ridiculous mortal's ignorance, Sesshomaru finally jumped into the conversation. "No, boy, it would not be alright. Kagome will be attending with this Sesshomaru; it would be wise to know your boundaries."

"But, Sir, Kagome-san just said that you were only her friend. Wouldn't it be best to let the lady decide for herself?"

"No. This Sesshomaru has decided."

"Now wait a minute, Sir! You can't just make decisions for her. I'll have to insist you apologize to Kagome-san."

Pushing his chair out from underneath him and standing at his full height, towering over the young man in front of him, Sesshomaru flashed his large, pointed teeth at the boy and let out a deep growl before speaking, "Leave boy."

Tossing herself in between the warring males, Kagome just hoped Hojo didn't try to say anything else seeing as he had already practically signed his death warrant. Gazing from man to man, the miko gave an uneasy smile and turned to the boy from her time. "Sorry, Hojo. Sesshomaru is only here for a few days and I promised to go to the dance with him." The dejected look on her friend's face nearly made her retract her statement, but the feel of the lean lord's form behind her made her keep her mouth shut.

Pushing away the hurt that had flowed from him so intensely only a moment before, Hojo looked up at the girl of his dreams and smiled. "That's okay, Kagome, I understand. Save me a dance though?"

Unable to say no she gave an affirmative nod as the boy smiled at her and turned to walk away in the opposite direction. Shooting a very pointed glare at her demonic companion, Kagome grabbed the tray of food along with the humungous tub of insect repellant and tossed them both in the grey, plastic trash bin before heading towards the stairs that would lead her back up to the base floor, knowing that trying to take the escalator probably wouldn't go over too well with Sesshomaru. Reaching the top she tossed herself down on an iron bench, sitting to watch the people and was soon joined by Sesshomaru. Angry with him for being so horribly rude to poor Hojo, Kagome scooted further away from him only to be stopped by a hand around her waist and a firm voice to her left, "Mate, you will look at this Sesshomaru."

Determined to ignore the overly arrogant dog demon, Kagome turned her face away only to feel his firm hand gripping her chin and forcing her gaze back to him. No, he wouldn't win this time; she needed him to know that by hurting her friends he hurt her. Shaking her head from sided to side in a vain attempt to escape his grip; Kagome stopped and locked her sapphire eyes to his golden ones, hoping that he would notice her desperation for him to understand. Suddenly wondering as to why she was being so emotional in the first place, the miko pushed the stray thought to the back of her boundless mind, for all she knew it was just close to that time of the month. "Stop," she breathed quietly, "Just stop, Sesshomaru." Okay, so maybe she was over dramatizing the whole incident a bit but she did need to make a point here.

Ignoring the whining female's request, the inu lord proceeded to do the exact opposite of what she had asked him and tugged her towards him so that she was now fully seated on his lap. Glaring at the several older ningen couples that looked a bit disgusted at his action, he decided that this era was far too complicated for his tastes. What was so wrong with showing affection for one's female? In his era, even the oldest demonic couples still showed love both physically and publicly. Why should he have to adapt for these people? No, they would just need to be the ones to work around him. Drawing his own attention back to the present situation, the dog demon frowned. His bitch was being much too emotional for his tastes; needing to know the cause of such a response he leaned down, "Onna, what is it that troubles you?"

Kagome, who was floored by the ignorance of such a clever demon, decided that he knew very well what was bothering her and he just didn't want to admit it. "You, Sesshomaru. You're bothering me. You can't just treat my friends like that. They're, you know, my _friends_."

"This Sesshomaru has every right to treat your ningen companions as such, most certainly the boy. The pup was seeking your attention in an obviously non-friend-like manner and needed to be reprimanded. It was unacceptable."

"No, Sesshomaru, that's just it, it wasn't! In this time what Hojo asked was quite normal and put in a very polite fashion. Even if I'm not interested in him like that, he's still a good friend to me and I don't want to see him hurt."

"Hm," was the demon's only response. True, he was not at all familiar with the courting habits of this era, but like he had decided previously, why should he have to learn? The mortals would simply need to keep it in mind to accommodate his customs. Giving his bitch a look that let her know that he would think on the matter yet promised nothing else, Sesshomaru decided to use his normal tactic of changing the subject. "Mate, that is the second time an ailment of yours has been brought up this day. From what this Sesshomaru can tell, you are in perfect health. What do these mortals know that this Sesshomaru doesn't?

Wanting to smack him for pulling another one of his 'that is the end of that' maneuvers, Kagome grumpily folded her arms and leaned back against his rock hard chest. Fine, she'd let it go for this time but next time he did something like that she was going to have to pull out the big guns….whatever those were exactly. "Oh, you see since I'm gone in the feudal era a lot and can't go to school regularly, my grandpa has spent the last couple of years finding diseases, Kami he even made a few up, for me to come down with as an excuse."

Stunned, yet not showing it as was his usual manner, Sesshomaru lost himself in his own thoughts, an occurrence that seemed to be happening more and more frequently. Why would his mate be dishonest about the reason for her absences? Did she not know that it was a very noble quest that she had undertaken? Hm, of course she did even if she didn't admit it to herself. But why? Why would her grandfather have to arouse suspicions of fake ailments so that she could slip away? Were the humans in this era really that misguided in their concepts of honor and duty? Answering his own question, he grunted a mental yes. He would just have to tack that on to the ever growing list of things he hated about this era. Feeling the woman child sigh and climb to her feet, he was quick to stand with her as she took off into another large store.

It wasn't that she had been afraid of what Sesshomaru would say for she doubted it would have been anything that terrible, it was simply that she didn't feel like dealing with it at the moment and instead decided to drag her inu friend into the next department store to find him a tux for the dance. Mentally groaning at all the complaining that was bound to come with this venture, Kagome made her way back to the men's formal section before she stopped and turned to Sesshomaru. "Okay, well, if you want to go with me you're going to have to get one of these suits."

"Why?" was the indignant response of the inu lord.

"Because it's what people in this time wear to things like dances." Needing desperately to convince him just to try one on, she added, "It's like a symbol of status. It shows that you have manners and can be a gentleman." Well, she compensated, at least that wasn't a complete lie.

Deciding that her reasoning was valid, the silver haired dog turned to the nearest suit tuxedo display and took visual stock of all of his options. Kami, they all looked so damn uncomfortable. Skipping clean over the black suits Sesshomaru wrinkled his nose, no, black had never been his color; it reminded his too much of that damnable spider and his troublesome offspring. Walking in measured steps along the display, he passed without care the blue, grey and two toned sets. It was only when his eyes landed on the sole white tux that he nodded. Glancing at the small tag he had learned that the humans in this era placed on items to signify their value, he noticed that the figures were the highest on that particular garment. Good, they would know of his high status. The actual material seemed to be some type of silk with a long even cut. Snatching it and the white undershirt that was displayed with it from the wall, he proceeded to enter one of the rooms he had seen his mate use earlier to change. Normally he wouldn't have even tried the thing on, but he knew his female well enough to know that she would insist upon it so he beat her to it, not even giving her time to voice any opinions she had about the thing. Hm, at least he had found one in his own traditional color.

The miko, who was a bit stunned at the sudden choice, nearly jumped out of her skin as she heard the changing room door slam behind her. Almost giggling at the undignified mutterings coming from the normally perfectly composed inu lord, she decided that she would have to find some way to show him how thankful she was that he had agreed to this, or well at least accepted it. Gasping as he stepped out the stall, Kagome stared unblinkingly at his perfectly built form. Knocked out of her trance by his voice she listened, "This Sesshomaru shall take this one. It is acceptable, even if the contraption in Kami forbidden uncomfortable." Nodding, she waited outside until he appeared once again with suit thrown over his arm and followed as he marched up to the cashier and tossed the thing to her before taking the initiative to stuff it a bag himself and simply wadding a large stack of bills together before slamming them on the table and grabbing her to drag her out of the store.

Not as disgusted as he would have thought himself to be, Sesshomaru simply followed the lead of his mate as she marched up the isles once more, seeming like she already knew their next destination. Taking stock of the merchant locations around him, he nearly fell over his own feet as they passed a very, pink frilly displayed filled with what had to be the most provocative women's clothing he had ever seen. Coming to a complete halt which caused his female to do so as well, he stared up at the window and mentally pictured how his Kagome would look in such a thing. Reaching down to unconsciously resituate his ever growing arousal, the youkai spotted a certain pair of white fabric scraps in the corner of the display that he was drawn to. Obviously the two tiny pieces of material were to cover a female's most personal parts and of course none other than himself would _ever_ see his bitch in such garb but he just had to have them for his own sanity. If he had been in his usual state of mind he would have been thoroughly disgusted that human females would even considering wearing such things, yet the thought of his own female in one pushed away all the negatives. Deciding that the garments were obviously designed for the pleasure of men, the dog demon began to pull his woman into the store when he felt her desperately tugging on his hand.

"No! No, Sesshomaru! No, way! I'm not going in there!" Shrugging and releasing his grip on her, the Taiyoukai made his way into the store only to reappear several moments later with a small bag of goods. Having nearly gagged at all of the artificial scents that overran the store, he took pleasure in filling his lungs as he once again exited the shop and looked down at his blushing mate. Knowing very well why she was suddenly so self conscious, Sesshomaru mentally retorted to himself that she would have nothing to worry about. It was most likely her fear would be being seen in such garb but that was not for her to worry about. No, the only time she would wear such delicious things would be for him, in the privacy of their own locked chambers. "I cannot believe you just did that."

Lowering her embarrassed gaze to the cool, tiled floor the miko suddenly wished that she could sink through the ground beneath her. Did he have any idea how much he had just humiliated her? Sure, nobody knew it was her that he went in there for, but she did and she felt like it had been broadcasted to the whole world. Hearing the gentle yet firm voice above her, she glanced up, "There is no need to worry, onna. This Sesshomaru will allow there to be no display of your body; that is mine and only mine." Wanting to shoot back a smart remark, but too flustered to know what to say, the priestess who had started walking again without her knowledge decided to brush it off at least until they reached her home once more.

Looking up at the colorful entrance to a very fake looking castle, Sesshomaru snorted in distaste before looking down at his mate for an explanation. Puzzled at the sudden excitement in her eyes, he felt her grip around his hand tighten as she visibly bounced up and down reminding him of his little Rin. Turning his full attention to her, thankful that she had at least for the moment chosen to drop the garment issue, Sesshomaru listened to the gushing girl. "Wow! I haven't been here in the Disney Store since forever! This was my favorite store when I was younger. I thought maybe we could find something for Shippo and Rin in here."

Losing momentary control of his body to his beast, he stepped into the store with the completely exuberant girl. Apparently the knowledge that she had been thinking of what his blood beast saw as their pups while they were away had been enough to push the very happy inu forward to join his mate where his more logical counterpart would have objected. Glancing around he inspected all of the colorful displays and amusing characters that this Disney person seemed to have come up with. Following his mate to a section of the store completely covered in sparkly pink items, enough so to make his head spin, he watched as she looked at the objects. "Hey, you're a guy. Why don't you pick out something that you think Shippo would like to play with and I'll get something for Rin!" Actually approving of the idea, the Taiyoukai gave his mate a gentle squeeze before he marched off to the side of the store that seemed to be more dedicated to the interests of young males. Eyes roaming over the many shelves of trinkets, his golden gaze finally landed upon set of obviously fake, what he considered to be training weapons, including a large sword almost similar to his father's fang in its true form and several smaller items. Thinking back to how much he had wished to fight like his father when he was a young pup, Sesshomaru picked up the rather large box and turned to meet Kagome who was already walking in his direction. Under her one arm she held a very pink set of dolls and under the other were three stuffed white dogs that looked slightly like him in his true form. Questioning he asked, "Mate, who is the third canine for?"

Blushing Kagome walked to the check out counter and set the things down before turning to him. "Me, it's for me. I couldn't help it! It reminds me of you so much I just had to have one to snuggle with." Sesshomaru, who made a point of paying the almost psychotically happy looking human man behind the counter, give his mate a faint smile as a sense of masculine pride swelled within him. She had been thinking about him; exceptionally pleased that she had chosen his own form his blood beast was prancing around in his mind almost like an excited pup. True, the thing wasn't nearly as intimidating as he gave himself credit for being, but he took at as a sign a sign of devotion nonetheless. Growling his approval as they exited the store he stated, "Mate, you shall have this Sesshomaru's actual person with you during the nights. Although, it is pleasing that you should think of such things."

Smiling up at her departed best friend's elder brother Kagome laughed. For all of the trouble and anxiety he caused her, Sesshomaru somehow always came out on top in the end. Exiting through the doors they had originally come in, the miko grabbed the inu's hand like a young child and swung the bags filled her purchases around in the other. Seeing as it was such a nice day, the priestess cut away from their original path and into the very nearby Tokyo city park. The park had always been one of her favorite places to come and think before she had gotten involved in the whole feudal era mess, further proving that she was just never meant to be a city girl. No, she much preferred the open natural countryside of the past to the tall high-rises and condos that cluttered the streets in her times. Looking up at the set of branches that abruptly closed over the rough, stony path forming some sort of makeshift canopy, Kagome admired the intricate patterns of light that were displayed on the ground through the flitting leaves above.

Feeling a bit more relaxed within his new surrounds, Sesshomaru let his tense muscles loosen ever so slightly. Kami, beings were so…cramped in this time; it was almost as if they were living on top of each other. Hearing the voice of his young mate, he directed his gaze toward her. "Sesshomaru," he watched as she pointed to an oddly dressed male standing behind a small, waist high cart, "Since we didn't exactly get to finish our lunch I'm going to get an ice cream. Would you like one?" Cocking his regal head curiously, the demon lord shrugged his shoulders. In all actuality he was overly curious as to what this 'ice cream' was and wished to try it, but reminded himself not to look too eager. "This Sesshomaru supposes he shall try some of your 'ice cream'," he told her off handedly. A grinning miko grasped the demon lord's hand and ran up to the cart. Thinking how she so very closely resembled his little Rin at that moment, Sesshomaru stood watching the girl order what appeared to be a glob of some edible substance on top of some narrowing spherical holder.

"Alright," the priestess said looking at him with her joy filled eyes, "do you want vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, banana, peach, orange, lime? Personally I'm fond of the chocolate," she spoke as she gestured to the melting brown 'ice cream' in her hand. Not even able to remember half the choices the excitable girl had rambled off for him, the western lord decided that he would proceed with strawberry. First of all he knew what a strawberry was and secondly, he was actually quite fond of them. Grunting out his response, the dog prince soon found himself holding one of the silly looking confectionaries as he followed his mate who threw herself down at the base of a large tree of an unfamiliar origin. Thankful that she wasn't one of the court females who feared dirt with all of her being, he plopped down beside her and watched as she licked at her own 'cone' as they had been called. Although the sight appeared highly erotic to him, he forced his arousal down on the grounds that he was fairly certain his mate would not be happy with such a public display of affection. In his own line of thinking, built from years in the demonic society, the woman should be proud to arouse her male.

Kagome gazed up through the corners of her sapphire eyes as she bent her neck to try to control her cone's dripping. Watching Sesshomaru as he lifted the new item to his nose and sniffed it, she was about to warn him not to bite into it with his sensitive fangs but she happened to be a moment too late. Observing the comical scene as the infamous demon lord's sensitive teeth were pained by the sudden cold she nearly laughed out loud as he hopped to his feet and tossed the thing several hundred feet away from him, growling at it fiercely. Gasping out her words between choked laughs she cried, "No, its okay! I was going to tell you not to bite it but you went ahead and did it before I could warn you."

Still shooting death glares at the offending object, Sesshomaru replied in a cross tone, "That thing attacked this Sesshomaru. It has gotten what it justly deserves." Irritated that the girl was laughing at his expense, the youkai pulled the woman child to her feet causing her to drop her own ice cream and started away in the direction he now knew her home to be in.

As her laughing finally died down, the miko from the future grumbled under her breath about never being able to finish her food before she was shut up by a cold glare from the inu in front of her. Walking at Sesshomaru's pace, which ended up nearly being a full out jog for her, they were back in front of her shrine home in no time, just managing to beat the fast approaching sunset. As soon as they were inside the tiny room that constituted the entrance to her home, Kagome tossed all of her bags in the corner as she followed the sound of her mother's voice to the kitchen. "Kagome, did you and your friend want to eat some dinner while it's still hot?"

Totally convinced that something would come along to tear her away from her meal as so seemed the habit on the particular day, Kagome shook her head in a negative response, pleasing a certain inu who had had quite enough of the modern cuisine for one day. Yawning, Kagome turned around only to bump into a very muscled chest. "Mate, this Sesshomaru can easily sense your weariness. You shall retire for the night." About to object at the idea, the miko was momentarily cut off as an elderly, yet seemingly still quite spry man leapt into the room tossing a handful of homemade sutras in the direction of the dog lord of the west.

"Demon be gone!" Groaning at her grandpa's actions, Kagome smiled nervously back at her guest, praying to every god she knew that he wouldn't just up and kill the moronic man. Running over to the newcomer she grabbed his hands.

"It's alright grandpa, stop! This is Lord Sesshomaru of the West, Inuyasha's older brother." Feeling the old man's posture slip at the assurance she asked, "And how did you know he was a demon?"

"His aura screams evil Kagome! Flee! Flee!" Running out of the room himself, the teenage girl smacked her forehead and gave her mother a quick kiss on the cheek before continuing up the staircase to her room, all the while being followed by an overly protective demon lord. As she finally reached the top, she turned down the hall and threw open her own door, waiting until the royal dog demon was inside before shutting it once more. "Um, I'm sorry about that Sesshomaru. Grandpa is just, well, a little bit strange. Don't worry about it though, he may be able to sense demons every now and then but I'm pretty sure there is no way he could ever purify one."

Snorting as he watched the girl rummaging through several drawers he replied, "As this Sesshomaru informed you earlier mate, he does not worry." The whole idea was absolutely absurd. Him, worry about some baka old human male? Ha, that would indeed be the day. Noticing that his mate had finally managed to change into her night attire and was now climbing into her awkwardly raised futon, he sat himself on the outside edge of the mattress and waited for her to still before he lie himself next to her. The contented feeling that seemed to always fill him as he held her close quickly returned as his intended muttered a sleepy goodnight and cuddled into him. By the same account the miko, not having realized how tired she had actually been from her day, was surprised as she nearly felt herself drift directly into the world of dreams.

Letting a soft, soothing growl flow from his chest in a steady rumble, the youkai wondered where his present day self was. Hm, the only thing he knew for certain was that wherever his future self was, he was most definitely holding their mate as well. He would never tire of her, not even five hundred years could put a dent in his feelings and devotion. Forever and always he would be eternally dedicated and faithful. Burrowing his nose into the pillows beneath him, Sesshomaru was nearly lulled into a haze due to the overwhelming scent of his female that filled the room. Finally feeling her breathing slow and even out, he lifted himself from the strange futon and made his way to the window, having decided to complete a last minute check just to make sure the girl's home was secure.

Thanks to his exquisite demonic sight, the lord managed not to trip over any of the various objects that were strewn about the floor haphazardly. With the feel of the window's inner casing beneath his claws, he struggled for a brief period to open the damnable contraption before finally succeeding.

Leaping out onto the nearby branch of what he recognized to be the old oak the villagers referred to as the God tree, the inu demon thanked the Kamis for the one familiar presence in such a foreign time. Dropping gracefully to the ground, all the while managing to maintain his indifferent expression, Sesshomaru took in his surroundings. After he stretched his demonic aura over the area and came back with no ripple of unsettling energies, the lord of the west looked back up at his mate's window and grimaced. Truth be told he would rather simply hop back into the girl's bed and pull her into his arms once again but instinctually the inu knew from the look he had shared with his bitch's mother that she had things to discuss with him. Not knowing exactly what humans expected of a mate for one of their own pack members, he sighed into the silent night and walked around to the front door, opening it soundlessly and sliding into the kitchen where the elder woman was finishing cleaning up from the earlier meal.

Almost as if she had sensed him, which would have truly been next to impossible for he had not been portraying his ki, she turned to him and ask "Tea?" while gesturing for him to take a seat at the table. Deciding a cup of tea wouldn't hurt he nodded his head and sat in the indicated area, waiting patiently for the woman to join him. Upon finally receiving his beverage, the young lord watched as the woman sat down across from him and seemingly scrutinized him with her hard gaze. Thoroughly decided that he would most certainly not be the first to speak, the inu lord waited until he heard the woman's voice. "So, Lord Sesshomaru, is it," he nodded, "how exactly do you know Kagome?"

Thinking about how best to answer the question without fully admitting that he had been nearly point blank set on the girl's demise upon their first meeting, he took a moment. "This Sesshomaru became acquainted with your daughter through my half breed brother. A quest for father's legendary fang brought about our meeting, as unfortunate a reason as it was. This Sesshomaru holds no respect for the half breed, or at least did not at that point in time and wished nothing to with any who chose to associate with him. However, your daughter was fast to verbally spar with Sesshomaru in a way that no other female has ever dared to try, drawing his interest quickly. The next several years were spent observing her and monitoring the progression of her strength."

"Why? What do you want with her?"

"This Sesshomaru wishes for your offspring to become his mate. As to why, it is not exactly clear to even this Sesshomaru exactly why she its so attractive." Seeing the woman's skeptical and slightly angry look he continued pushing forward with his explanation, hoping to remain in the elder woman's good graces. "She is most certainly brave, enough even to stand her ground against this Sesshomaru. She is kind, an emotional expression this Sesshomaru is fairly lacking in as well as her unwavering compassion and loyalty. Hm, although less important, she is also quite stunning."

"What exactly is a mate?"

Wanting to groan in frustration, the western inu felt like letting out a very undignified moan. He hated explaining to mortals what a mating bond was and what it entailed, for they never seemed to truly understand the concept. Wanting to get the thing over with, he started, "As you most likely already are aware of this Sesshomaru is a full fledged dog demon and ruler of the western lands. As such it is his responsibility to find a strong and suitable female to stand by his side for all time." Noticing the red tint of rage to her face he spoke once more, "More than that though, to a youkai the taking of a mate is the bonding of souls. Although matings may be forged between unwilling parties, we of the inu breed only join with those whose soul intertwines in exact harmony with our own, balancing us. Matehood is a promise of protection, devotion and tied emotions, one which this Sesshomaru does not plan to enter into lightly."

Needing to know for her own sanity and the safety of her only daughter's heart, she asked, "Being a lord, does this mean you will have a…um, harem?" Wow, that was more embarrassing than she would ever have liked to imagine.

Growling at the implications of the human female he snapped, "Do you question this Sesshomaru's honor? On my position as a lord and word as a youkai of noble blood your daughter shall have this Sesshomaru's complete devotion." Mentally sighing, he wondered why human women always seemed so concerned about infidelity. Was it truly that common among their race? Did their males not know it was shameful and disgraceful as well a filthy? No, once he had taken a mate he instinctively knew that he would never again be able to derive pleasure from another female's body and he didn't wish to. Turning his full attention back to the woman, he waited for the next question in her seemingly endless interrogation.

"Do you want to have children?" This one wasn't for Kagome, but for herself. She desperately wanted grandchildren even if the would be of half demon origin, they would be of half demon origin right? "Would they be half demons like Inuyasha?"

Growling at the mention of the name, Sesshomaru tried to maintain his patient, indifferent state. "Yes, this Sesshomaru will most definitely be having pups with your daughter. As for them being half demons, no they will not. As this Sesshomaru is sure that you are already aware of, your daughter is a very powerful miko and as such can easily birth full demon offspring. That will have all of this Sesshomaru's powers and some of her own as well as being blessed with the long lifespan that your daughter will now share in with this Sesshomaru."

Having had more than enough of the third person references, Kagome's mother had to bite her tongue to keep herself in check. "Would I still get to see my little girl?"

"Most certainly, this Sesshomaru would not deprive his mate of such an important facet. She will be permitted to visit any time she wishes as long as this Sesshomaru is available to escort her."

A very persistent part of her, more than likely her maternal instinct, was pushing her to ask the young silver haired man one last question. Did he love her daughter? Yet, somehow she knew just by looking at him and their very limited bits of conversation that he found weakness in speaking such words although he did hold those exact feelings. Quite certain that with time he would realize it would only strengthen him to admit his emotions, she decided to let the topic rest for now. About to ask another of her own questions, she was promptly cut off by the voice of her inu guest. "You will receive payment for her as is customary between tribes as well as the assurance of the inu clan's protection. Does this Sesshomaru have permission to take your daughter as his mate?"

Giving the man one last stare before making one of the hardest decisions of her life she spoke, "You know Sesshomaru, Kagome's father died before she was truly old enough to even remember him. The only men she's ever had in her life have been her grandfather and Inuyasha, one of which succeed completely in breaking her heart. I don't want your money and you needn't feel obligated to protect us, I just want a promise from you. Promise me that you won't hurt her and you have my blessing."

Releasing a breath that he had not been aware he was holding Sesshomaru nodded, "You have this Sesshomaru's word." As the woman stood he took it as a sign that he was dismissed as well and began to take his own leave only to hear the woman's voice over his shoulder once more.

"Oh, and Sesshomaru, make sure your children inherit those adorable tails of yours." Snorting at her ever so human fondness for all things furry and cuddly, he sighed and gave a dismissive nod before once again ascending the stair case. Rolling his shoulders, he felt his stiff joints crack, releasing a small amount of pressure before he froze completely. Nothing registered in his mind except for the mixed scents that were filtering through the air…Kagome's fear and….Naraku?

A/N: Well, there you have it. What else can I say? This one turned out sort of longer than I had expected but I guess that's okay. Thanks again and please review!


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Hello again! I hope that you've all been well over the past week and managed to stay out of trouble. Either way, here is the next chapter to Without a Doubt. It's been a busy week and it's been hard to find time to write, so I did this in increments. I'm pretty sure that I went back and smoothed over all of the transitions but if I missed any I apologize in advance. Hopefully you'll all enjoy it and as always, thank you for all of your support and reviews.

Within the endless sleep induced realm of her dormant mind, the miko Kagome found herself walking a familiar path to a memory filled clearing. A very aware part of her mind knew that she was currently in the land of dreams, yet it seemed to help very little at defusing the shock that coursed through her lean body at the sight before her. Although it was not exactly similar, seeing as the massive sphere of the sun was shining down through the ancient branches and the fall wind was sweeping crunchy, colored leaves in its demure breeze, before was the sight that had been etched into her memory for eternity. Carefully approaching the age old tree before her, she gazed at the boyish features of the silver haired inu hanyou that she had never thought to see again, pinned to the legendary tree as she had first seen him all of those years before.

Reaching perhaps what might have been the eternally slumbering half demon, the miko reached up slowly and lightly felt the soft, silken silver fur that covered the ears he had always hated so much. Feeling the guilt well inside her once again, Kagome rested her weary raven head against the man's chest and tightly fisted her hands in his red fire-rat haori. The smell of pine and billowing smoke that she had become so familiar with filled her senses once again and she closed her eyes. She should have never released him or even gotten him involved in all of this. It was her problem not his and she had awoken him from what was most likely a happy state of blissful unawareness just to burden him with her protection. Knowing the tears were going to come, the girl nearly jumped out of her skin as she heard the familiar gruff voice behind her.

"Feh, I always knew you weren't her." Seeing her swift turn about and the confusion painted on her face, the hanyou continued. "When you released me I mean, I knew you weren't Kikyo; you were too different. I was just pissed." Sighing in very un- Inuyasha-like manner, he decided it would be best to immediately approach the topic of the young woman's confusion so they could make the most of the short amount of time they did have together. "Kamis, woman! Stop staring! Its just me! You all of all people should know its not that hard to communicate with other worlds. Feh, you just gonna stand there and look at me?"

Still horribly confused but not truly caring as to the circumstances of his visit at the moment, the miko launched herself forward and threw herself fully into the open arms of a lightly smiling hanyou. The second his arms became fully wrapped around her, she slipped her own around his waist and buried her face into his chest, now fully sobbing. "Inuyasha, Inuyasha! I'm so s-sorry! Its all m-my fault! You didn't h-have to d-do that! Y-you shouldn't h-have! Oh, Inuyasha, I'm s-sorry…"

Squeezing her tightly for what he very well knew might be the last time Inuyasha picked up the priestess fully and sat himself down next to the old God tree with her on his lap. True, it had been a pain actually getting himself here but it was most certainly worth it. As he'd been wandering around in the underworld he had come across a group of others, wanderers much like himself, who had informed him of his traditional right to one visit after his death. Having known instantly who he wished to see, Inuyasha had followed their instructions to a tee and soon found himself here. Beginning to feel the small female's tears soak through his shirt, he shook her lightly. "Quit your crying woman! You know I hate it when you do that to me! Come on Kagome, its alright. Shut up why don't you!" Momentarily wishing that he wasn't so rough in his nature and speech he relaxed his tense muscles at the girl's giggling.

Although she knew it probably wasn't the best time to be laughing, Kagome couldn't help it; he was still just the same. Somehow she had thought that once somebody died and left the earth they became serene and wise, but well, he just blew the top off that theory. Glad he hadn't changed she situated herself in his arms and looked up at him. "You haven't changed at all."

Snorting the half dog demon said, "Feh! What'd you expect? Its been a couple days Kags, not a couple years!" Seeing her smile fade as awareness seeped back into her deep blue orbs, Inuyasha decided to answer her question before she even was able to ask it. "Stupid, impatient women; you're all the same that way! Before you ask I'm here 'cause there are a few things that I didn't get to say to you that probably should have been said a long time ago." Looking away for a brief moment he continued, "I meant it when I said I always knew you weren't Kikyo. I was just angry you know? Like how you talk about what's your dumb human word, oh yeah, 'venting'. Feh, there was a lot of crap that I obviously wasn't over."

Blinking at him she smiled before replying, "I know you never meant anything Inuyasha, I've always known and its alright. If anything I should be apologizing for k-killing you." Crying once more she fell into him again, not wanting to see the hate that would be etched on his handsome face.

"Woman! I'm telling you it's not alright so stop being so damn selfless for a minute and listen to me! It ain't your fault I'm dead, alright? I didn't have to jump in front of the dumb arrow, I did it 'cause I wanted to. You honestly think I would have let that bitch kill you after I promised to protect you? Feh!" Increasing his hold on her, he moved slightly so that he could lean his toned back against the rough bark of the God tree, hoping that she'd get over her whole crying thing soon. Hell, he knew she was gonna do this to it. It had been the whole damn reason he came! Knowing her she'd walk around for the rest of eternity blaming herself for his death and he couldn't leave her like that. For both of their sakes, there had to be some closure. "I said stop your blubbering woman! Quiet!"

Feeling his large hands rubbing soothing circles on her back, Kagome looked up at the one time love of her life and her forever best friend through red puffy eyes. "How can you say that? It _is_ my fault! If it wasn't for me she never would have shot that arrow in the first place."

"Kagome, even I knew that Kikyo was a vengeful bitch. She would've shot that arrow whether you were there or not. Hell, it wasn't your fault or my fault; it was all that damn Naraku, she just didn't want to see it, Kags. Either way my time was up, alright? So don't you go worrying about it 'cause I'm telling you, woman, it ain't your fault." Feeling the topic was becoming a bit, well even more awkward he chose to drop it. Bringing his clawed hand to rest on the feminine curve of her hip, Inuyasha took a deep breath knowing that the words he spoke next were going to be the hardest he ever spoke in both and death. Locking his amber eyes with those of the miko he loved so desperately Inuyasha whispered, "Kags, tell me something and please don't lie to me…do you love my brother?"

Nearly forgetting to breathe as the question tumbled down from the rugged hanyou's chapped lips, Kagome chewed her own plump lip nervously. Yes, she did love Sesshomaru and she was absolutely sure of it, no matter how much it made her question her sanity. But…could she really tell that to Inuyasha after all he'd done for her? On the other, could really lie to him after he'd been so open with her? Making the quick decision to tell him the truth because that was what he deserved, she spoke immediately so she didn't have time to change her mind. "Yes," she whispered almost dejectedly, "Yes, I do."

Even though he had known all along what her answer was going to be and had already been aware of the fact that there was really no way that he could be with her now, the inu hanyou still felt as if he had just been knifed through the chest. Trying to mandate his breathing so as not to upset the miko on his lap, he forced himself to smile. He would let her be happy if it killed him…er, something like that. That was why he was dead in the first place and he'd be damned, taking a moment to wince at his ironically appropriate wording he tried to continue on with his thoughts as if the reality of the phrase hadn't struck him; yes, he'd be damned if he ended up dying for a whole bunch of nothing. "It's okay Kagome," he forced himself to say. "It's okay. I want you to be happy."

All of the years spent learning each and ever facet of the hanyou she was currently seated upon told her that it was not okay and as his voice cracked she knew she had to tell him something, anything to make him feel better but it would have to be the truth, for both of their sakes. "Inuyasha, you know, you were the first guy I ever loved."

More than a little stunned to hear her actual admission of her feelings, or at least one time feelings, the hanyou graced her with a genuine smile. Sure he had known it already and sure he had heard her whisper it to her self before….but, to have her actually look in his eyes and tell him that she loved _him_ a filthy, dirty hanyou made it all that much more real. Turning her around so that she was facing him fully, he lovingly leaned his forehead against hers. "Kagome, I'm sorry. There was so much I should have done for…should have told while I was still alive, but now I guess it's just too late." Almost not even daring to ask he whispered, "Do you think you and I, you know, would have had a chance if I'd gotten my act together?"

Taking a moment to truly think over the question, she decided that they would have. True, she now knew that what she had felt for him wasn't a true romantic love, but at the time she wouldn't have known that and she would never have known that she could feel so much more. Sighing, she let a content smile cross her face before answering. "Yeah, Inuyasha. You and I just might have worked out."

Trying his best to hide his blush at the idea that he could be with a woman as beautiful and wonderful as Kagome, he nodded. Everything was said. Now it was time for him to leave for the very last time…but yet there was something that he wanted, one last thing that would bring it all to a close. He wanted to kiss Kagome, not as a demon or a jealous mindless beast but kiss her the way he should have kissed her all the times before. "Kagome, I…can I…I mean you don't…"

Surprised that the largely outspoken hanyou was actually stuttering, it the girl a moment to realize what he wanted. she? The more logical part of her screamed no, that it would end up hurting things with Sesshomaru and yet somehow that voice was pushed to the back of her mind as the part of her that had befriended the hanyou and even fallen in love with him all those years ago surged forward. Would she be sorry if she did it? No…she knew all too well that there was no actual love behind the kiss besides that of a friend and that was all that mattered. If she knew what she was doing, why she was doing it and what she felt then it was okay. This was one of those decisions that she couldn't let anybody, namely Sesshomaru, make for her.

Not needing to answer with real words, the priestess nodded, much to the astonishment of the hanyou before her. Timidly he leaned it, hoping against all hope that this wasn't just another one of his fantasies. However, the second her lips brushed his he knew that no fantasy could ever measure up to this. Of course he knew that she didn't feel the same way for him and that the kiss was obviously a bit one sided but at the moment he couldn't have cared less. Wrapping his hand around the back of her neck and tangling the other in her thick, black hair, he licked gently at her lips, surprised once again as she gave him entrance.

It was the knowledge that the half demon before her was quite aware she didn't reciprocate his level of love that let her move forward with the kiss, timidly battling her tongue against his until they both needed to pull away for air. Opening her eyes once again she smiled, not at the fact that she had just kissed her best friends but because she now knew just how special each kiss Sesshomaru gave her was. With Inuyasha, there was nothing, but with his brother…the second their lips met she felt like she had been set ablaze. Looking up into his amber eyes for what she knew to be the last time she listened to his soft words, "Thank you, Kagome, for everything. I know Sesshomaru will take good care of you." Almost not even consciously his natural personality broke through for a moment making the miko smile. "Feh, I could have done better though." Hearing her laugh he closed his eyes as he began to feel himself fade away from her mind. "I did mean what I said Kagome. I do love you."

With those last words, the miko from the future watched as her first love and best friend faded away into nothingness. Dabbing at her eyes wit the back of her hand, the girl lay back in the grass and let her senses shut off for a moment. Rolling over onto her stomach, the young woman got the surprise of a lifetime as she was met by the sight of deep purple hakama pants and the ever so familiar laugh of a certain spider demon.

Chuckling at the surprised look on the face of his future mate, he slowly began to circle her, giving them both the distinct relationship of predator and prey. "Well little Kagome, could your overly arrogant dog lord not please you? Is that why you've come scampering back to other brother even in his death?" Kneeling before the young beauty, he shot his pale hand forth, tightly gripping her femininely pointed chin and directing her cerulean orbs in the direction of his own impassioned ruby ones. "Mmm, see little one? I told you that I would be the only would that could ever satisfy you fully. Do you believe me now, pet? Hm, I was hoping to prove this exact point to you but it would seem you've done a fine job of that yourself."

Fisting a handful of her raven locks between his thing fingers, the spider hanyou made a swift jerky movement momentarily and unexpectedly bringing his lips crashing down upon those of the miko. At the same time, the miko, whom had fought with herself to lessen the complete and utter disgust she was feeling, decided upon a very moronic tactic, in more ways than one. Relaxing herself as she mentally convinced herself that it was indeed the lord of the west whose lips were now locked with her own so passionately. Through all of her panic and misguided fear, the young miko sought comfort in the lips of the one she loved, or at least the one whom had usurped the place of the one she loved.

Elated at the young priestess's participation, Naraku broke away from her flushed form for a moment to gaze upon her being as he had so many times imagined it. Nearly completely lost within his own lust, the hanyou was only drug out of his haze at the moaned exclamation that came from _his_ mate's throat. "Sesshomaru," the girl beneath him groaned completely shattering his own fantasy and invoking within him a rage that he had not felt for some time mow. How dare she? The little bitch was his! He'd promised her every damn thing that a woman could want and still she wished for the touch of another! No more! His little one was about to learn what it meant to cross him.

Straddling her slender waist and slamming her shoulders into the soil below them in a sudden movement, he watched the previously hazy blue eyes refocus upon him before desperately trying to gaze anywhere else. No, he wouldn't be having any of that. Gripping her throat his massive palm, he shoved his dangerously pointed claws into the ground below, making it virtually impossible for her to look away from him. Deciding upon the most effective teaching method for his onna, his thin lips were pulled into a sudden smile as he was hit by another stroke of brilliance. Reaching his other hand above her, gently running his clawed finger through her silken midnight hair he attempted to smile sweetly down at the woman child. "Mmm, little one. I apologize I must have misheard you. What was that you said again, dear?"

Gulping at the sudden realization of her folly, the miko's mind worked swiftly trying to come up with a reasonable response that would appease the angry hanyou. "Um," not having time to think she quickly blurted out the only thing that she could think of that might sound even remotely similar, in truth it would take only moments for to realize it was most definitely one of the most moronic things she'd ever said. "The sky is blue?" Squeezing her eyes shut, preparing herself for the outburst she knew to be coming from the twisted spider sitting atop her, she nearly choked at hearing his thick, throaty laugh.

"No, little one. I don't think that is what you said. Would you like to try again?" Looking down at her panic stricken face, Naraku decided that he quite liked this game. Cutting short the small bout of silence that had followed his question he spoke, "No? Hm, perhaps I should just tell you then. You, pet, said Sesshomaru." Narrowing his eyes as his voice dropped threateningly several octaves he continued, "_My _name is Naraku, little one, and it is the only name I shall _ever_ hear from your lips again. Have we come to an understanding?"

It was then that the untimely defiance that made Kagome, well, Kagome decided to gush forth from her moistened lips in an angry tirade. "No, I love _Sesshomaru_. I want to be with _Sesshomaru_. The only person I'll ever give myself to is _Sesshomaru_. Now do _you_ understand?" Nearly gasping at the way the infamous half demon's aura darkened above them, the miko instantly wished for the millionth time since her journey down the well that she didn't have quite such a big mouth. Watching closely as the man above her inhaled deeply, she closed her eyes and waited for the worst.

"Look at me," he managed to growl out. Seeing her ignore his command so openly, he moved his free hand down to the girl's chest and situated it over the tender the flesh of her upper stomach. "I would hate to scar you little one, but if you leave me no choice…" Snapping his teeth at the small victory as the female's eyes shot open he bared his elongated, deadly fangs at her. "That's a good little bitch. Now," he lightly traced his claws in patterns of what she soon realized were kanji letters spelling out his own name over her stomach. Lifting the hand that been caging her delicate throat, Naraku suddenly hit the woman with his closed fist. "You ungrateful little whore!" Raising his hand and striking her again he spat, "You filthy unfaithful bitch!" Repeating his previous actions once again he seethed, "What is it you wish from me, _Ka-go-me_? What is it that the bastard mutt has given you that I haven't offered? Why? Do you think yourself too good for me? If that is the case little one, then I shall have you know that we are on the same level. I've killed, you've killed, oh you may defend your honor by saying only when absolutely necessary, but girl a death is a death. It is what it is. I hate and you hate. I want and you want; it is only what we want that sets us apart. I am the darkness and you are the light, fate has destined us for one another!" Giving the girl one last powerful blow and watching the blood run in steady trails from her once porcelain face he ordered, "Say my name. Remind me to whom you belong!"

At that same moment outside of her mind in the tangible world, an emotionally crazed inu lord was shaking the woman he had chosen to be his mate. It had taken him mere moments to reach her resting place from the top of the stairs. Upon entering he had found her struggling against some unseen force, some evil energy. Jumping on top of her hurriedly, he pressed all of his weight against her form to help still the convulsions and twitches that now wracked her. Keeping a careful watch on his female while at the same time opening his senses to any other presence that might be lurking in the room, Sesshomaru instantly felt a familiar dark aura running loose. Knowing that the damnable hanyou had tried this before, Sesshomaru focused his mind and attempted to push into the thoughts of his mate only to be rejected. As he went through the process again and again with nothing new to show for it, he was acutely aware of the deteriorating state of his mate. Finally no longer knowing what to do, he smashed his lips to the girl's in a last act of desperation to make some kind of connection with the young woman.

Remaining in her slumberous hell, Kagome gazed back up at the hanyou above her, seeing him twitch in an awkward manner then return his gaze to her once more with a smirk plastered upon his face. Leaning lower so the she could feel his heated breath fanning across her bloody cheek, she listened to his whispers. "Hm, it would seem that your loyal puppy is trying to enter your mind once again but don't worry little one. I've taken extra precautions this time around to prevent that very thing." Flinching as he aligned his hateful lips with her own, the miko nearly gagged at the feel of him attempting to force her mouth open once again.

The hanyou, was completely oblivious to the western lord's last ditch effort to rescue his beloved mate suddenly grasped the girl to him more tightly getting the very distinct feeling that she was drifting away from him. In that same instant Kagome opened her tearing sapphire eyes only to close them again tightly and reopen them. Above her was Naraku, yes, but…every other moment he faded into the form of Sesshomaru with his lips pressed to hers in what she recognized to be her own bedroom. Pulling all of the strength she had left, Kagome focused her mind on the vision of the inu she adored above her, concentrating with all her power to bring herself back into what she knew to be reality. As the sight of Sesshomaru flashed before her, she grabbed onto him quickly, letting him drag her out of her horrid night terror and into his warm arms.

Seeing the questioning blue orbs blink themselves to full awareness, the ever composed Sesshomaru let out an actual yelp of relief and rolled himself over, bringing the still slightly trembling form of his mate with him. At the feeling of her small hands gripping the fabric that covered his chest in an intense hold, he wrapped his arms around her back and instinctively let a low, rumbling purr of comfort spill from his lips. Rubbing gentle, soothing circles on the girl's back he waited until her gasps and sobs had subsided somewhat before rolling her off him so that their eyes locked, hers desperate and frightened his concerned and full of undirected rage.

Somehow managing to continue his peaceful purr between words he asked the question they had both known was coming. "Mate, what happened?" Distressed at her scared whimper, a sound that most certainly appealed to the protective nature of his more primitive side, Sesshomaru nuzzled the spot where his mark would soon rest.

Gaining control of herself once again, Kagome stared into the eyes of the inu lord before her and came to the swift conclusion that she didn't want to tell him, not now. Of course she would do so later but at the moment she just didn't wish to think about it. And besides that she knew that he would make a huge deal out the whole thing and they'd end up not going to the dance that she was looking forward to so much. Making the final decision to suck up her fears about Naraku until the dance was over she looked away from him and said, "Nothing, I don't want to talk about it right now. Okay?"

Growling in earnest at her refusal to share with him what had happened, Sesshomaru restrained himself from snapping at her, mostly due to his confusion. Why would she not wish to tell him? Was it that bad? Did she truly not wish to think about it at the moment? Drawn out of his reverie by her soft promise, "I swear I'll tell you later," he decided , against his better judgment, that he would let it go until they had concluded the gathering tomorrow evening. After all, he didn't wish for her to be upset during an event that seemed to mean so much to her…shaking his head at the odd thought he began to question his own sanity, but quickly dropped the subject. If he was insane, he didn't need to know it right now. Finally giving a cautious nod to the female in his arms, he pulled her close to him as he hit the switch that she had shown him earlier, darkening the room. Closing his eyes yet knowing that sleep would not come to him, the dog prince decided to simply review the names of all the villages within his cardinal territory, an exercise he preformed often on such nights as this. Only three towns in, the great and powerful lord of the west, fell into an unexpected yet not totally unwelcome sleep.

At that same moment in time five hundred years in the past, a livid spider demon bellowed a new slew of curses as he tossed yet another priceless vase into the cold, stone wall across from him, momentarily satisfied as he watched it explode into a brief shower of tiny porcelain shards. Shredding an intricate tapestry that hung on the study wall behind him, Naraku reveled in the feel of the terse fabric being sliced through. Finally, after every last thing in his study was destroyed, the panting hanyou threw himself down into the broken and splintered remains of a wooden desk chair, stretching his neck. What in all the hells was that? What had gone wrong? He was just starting to get where he wanted to go with the girl and then she just sunk into the ground of the unreal realm, away from his reach.

Hm, although he didn't quite know what had happened he would bet his life that it had something to do with that filthy dog demon. Snarling at the still night air, he launched himself to his feet once again, beginning to pace the length of the room. This was going nowhere! How was he supposed to mate the girl if he couldn't even manage to get five minutes with her. Ha, if only he was the dumb mutt for just one….pausing in his own thoughts he let loose a maniacal laugh, echoing through the entire manor home. Now with a malicious grin set on his face, the spider stalked away from the room, grabbing a certain half full vile on his way out with a very specific destination in mind. If he couldn't beat the dog, then he could at least level the playing field a bit. Sometimes he was just too brilliant.

Stretching his stiff muscles in a manner the likes of which he had abandoned years ago in his boyhood, Sesshomaru growled at the tense feeling in his back. True, he had slept deeply and for a good while, judging by the sun it was back four in the afternoon in ningen terms, yet upon waking up he could feel each of the metallic coils hidden within the feathered mattress grinding its way into his back. How in the Kami's name did these mortals put up with such an atrocious sleeping contraption? Wondering whether his future self had adapted to such inconvenient, uncomfortable items or had stood by his customary belongings, he turned his fully clothed form onto his lean left side and gently shook mate. Smiling to himself at the way she so childishly tried to squirm away from his grip; he tightened his hold and pulled her into his broad chest, leaning into her ear. "Mate, it is time to awaken. This Sesshomaru is already quite certain that we have rested beyond our designated period."

Wondering why in the world they had to have a designated period in which to rest, the miko slightly opened one blue eye and twisted her neck so the she could stare directly at the amused inu lord. Mentally pondering how in all the hells she had ended up falling in love with a 'morning person', she suddenly giggled realizing that Sesshomaru was just an all around 'every time' person. Did he actually not become weary or was it just another one of his fronts? Resituating herself, she grumbled into his chest, "No, morning bad. Sleep good."

Now chuckling aloud the western dog replied, "We're reverting to simple speech are we? Hm, mate, this Sesshomaru is inclined to question your intelligence." Adding a mocking tone to his teasing voice, he waited her to sit up as he knew that she would and glare at him. Ever so predictable, yet unceasingly amusing, he smirked at his mate. Yes, she was quite the little spitfire and luckily, or perhaps in some occasions unluckily, he knew exactly how to wind his little female up.

"Hey! I'm just as smart as I always was! Kami, you're so difficult in the mornings!" Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, the miko became instantly panicked as she saw the time! "Kami! It's four! How in the world am I supposed to get ready in two hours?' Leaping from the mattress with cat-like grace she usually lacked so fully, she nearly threw the western lord out of her room slamming the door behind her before calling, "Sorry, Sesshomaru! I have to get ready! Your tux should still be downstairs in the hall if you want to get changed then. I'll be down later!"

Rolling his eyes at the unneeded panic that was swirling around his mate's aura, the lord simply made his way down the steep steps and collected the garb which he had begrudgingly purchased the day before. Knowing that he had at a decent span of time to go until it was necessary for him to begin his grooming, Sesshomaru entered the small living room he had explored the day before and quietly sat himself on the ground, eyes closed and legs crossed. The silence he was currently reveling in however, was quickly broken as the voice of his intended's mother floated to him. "You can sit down on the couch you know. It's not going to bite you."

Briefly opening his amber orbs and giving a skeptical, "Hm," he tried to return to his state of relaxation, only to be disturbed once again by the filthy feline he had come into contact with the previous day curling itself into a content ball in the center of his lap. After spending a good thirty minutes convincing the idiotic cat to stay away from him, he stood, realizing that he wouldn't be meditating anytime soon. Time continued to pass much in this frivolous manner until finally, the inu took his leave to quickly change himself into his Kami forsaken uncomfortable human garments and reentered the room to wait for his female.

When she finally appeared at the top of the steps, Sesshomaru couldn't help but growl, yet whether it was in delight at her utter beauty or anger at the fact that others would see her clad in such he did not know. The gown she had chosen clung tightly to her as her curled black hair hung over her shoulders in loose, yet elegant ringlets. The jewels he had chosen for her shone brightly, accentuating the ocean blue of her eyes while her odd footwear laced up her calves in elegant bows. Making a point to cover her fully in his scent simply so that his blood beast would feel a bit more at ease with the situation, he stood silently as his mate and her mother exchanged a few words before they exited through the front door. Then and only then did he hear the soft moan of frustration leave the lips of his mate.

Indeed releasing a desperate sound, the miko looked up at her escort sheepishly. Could she really tell him the reason for her annoyance without making a complete idiot of herself and giving him the chance to say 'I told you so?' Hm, the answer was most likely no but she decided that she would let him in on things anyway. "Um," she blushed deeply, "I was, um, er I mean…I can't walk all the way to the school in these shoes." Noticing the slightest hint amusement n his amber gaze, she turned her head away as he brought her up into his strong arms, carrying her in a bridal fashion. Walking to the end of the path, he finally took a moment to stop and look down at her.

"Onna, this Sesshomaru informed you that the shoes were unnecessary. Hm," he teased, "However, this Sesshomaru shall take pity on you this once and carry you to our destination." Before she could even ask how he knew the location, as he knew she would he added, "This Sesshomaru can easily pick up your scent to a nearby location which it will be assumed is this school of yours." Seeing her give a blushing nod, they started off on their short journey the whole time traveling in complete silence. Sighing mentally as he stopped outside the doors to his intended's 'school' he grunted. This was going to be a very long night indeed.

Walking in through the oddly situated metal doors that led to the hall in which this strange gathering would take place, the western lord was keenly aware of all the looks that they were receiving from the surrounding mortals. Feeling his upper lip twitch with the instinctive impulse to bare his pearly, pointed fangs he fought down his beast on the grounds that it might cause a bit of commotion seeing as this era was unaccustomed, or at least for the most part unaware of his kind. Knowing the scorching eyes of many young females were glued upon his striding personage, he clutched his onna to him in what turned out to be a futile attempt to show that he was quite decided upon who he would be spending the evening with. Kami, humans were such unfaithful creatures; even as he stalked through the crowd to the other side of the large, strangely constructed building engulfed in the buzzing chatter of those present, he could clearly scent many young women that held the scent of two males' seed within them.

Although, by the same token he was quite aware of the lustful stares his mate was earning from the scattered groups of men they passed. Gazing quickly down at her form, clad in the tight black scrap of fabric this era had the indignity to call a dress, he was forced to recall the looming fact that he had objected to coming to this 'dance' in the first place. Nearly barking at the plain knowledge that one of these scrawny unfaithful males could have ended up with his Kagome in their arms only to treat her as a common whore, he literally bit his tongue, drawing forth a good amount of crimson coppery liquid that he gulped down wordlessly. Leaning himself against the wall they had just reached a moment before, the inu looked around to observe the behavior of the other pairs that were present. Quickly noticing that a good portion of them were offering their females a beverage, he decided he would do the same. However in his state of arrogance he was quite blind to the proper way to do so, instead stating, "This Sesshomaru will be getting you a drink. Remain here."

Watching the retreating silver form, which was incredibly easy to spot seeing as he wore the only white suit in the entire mob, the priestess shook her head. Even when he was being a gentleman his ever so Sesshomaru like presence shone through. Sighing she thought, oh well at least he's here. Hm, not that it really surprised her; she knew it wasn't because he was leaping with glee at the chance to socialize with humans, but for the sole reason of 'protecting' her from whatever he thought might happen here. Feeling a gentle tap of her shoulder, Kagome swung around briskly to come face to face with a very familiar black haired boy. "Hi Hojo! Wow, you look nice! How are you?"

Grinning stupidly at the woman he desperately wished would love him, or at the very least even just notice him, he laughed, "Hello, Kagome! Thank you, and might I say you're looking quite stunning yourself. I doubted that you could look any more wonderful than as I had previously seen you but once again you've proven me wrong." Nervously rubbing the back of his head, looking to both the left and right for some unknown party he asked, "Um…would you like to dance?" he second the last word had left his mouth, the poor boy felt a very intimidating presence behind him and took a self preservative step toward the girl in front of him before turning to face the looming personage of the odd looking male he had seen with Kagome at the mall yesterday.

Shooting Sesshomaru a look that promised a great amount of pain and countless hours of argument if he didn't let her do this she nodded and grinned, "Of course, Hojo! I'd love to!" Quickly looping her hand around the arm he offered her she scurried away from a very frustrated demon lord before he could change his mind and grab her. It was only when she actually found herself on the dance floor that she felt awkward; in all honesty she wasn't quite sure how to do this seeing as she had never had the time or any reason to learn. Following the lead of the boy in front of her and the couples around her, she slowly wrapped her arms around his neck as he placed his boyish hands on her hips. Noticing how small and feminine they were in comparison to Sesshomaru's she was tempted to glance back at the demon lord, yet restrained herself for fear of the irritation she would see etched across his face. Finally making the eye contact she had been so desperately avoiding as a slow paced song began to ring through the gymnasium; the miko listened to boy before her attempt conversation.

Located several yards away a very agitated demon lord was glowering at the ridiculous pup that that was currently holding his chosen female. Why had he just let her walk away from him like that with some moronic human pup? At this rate she was going to be coming into some very unacceptable ideas. Hm, although all demons, especially those holding large amounts of power were possessive, he knew very well that he was by far the worst of them all. Now that he truly gave the matter consideration, he was already quite sure that he would not be allowing his little bitch to dance with any of the other lords, not even under the circumstances of formal tradition. However, by the same note he also vowed that he would no longer participate in such things himself. Feeling the jealousy coursing through his heated demonic blood as the pair once again shortened the already intolerably miniscule distance between them, he used all of his demonic abilities to tune out the sounds around him and pick up on the conversation that the pair was involved in. "So, Kagome…how's your friend?"

Angered that the simple minded ningen wasn't intelligent enough to realize that he was much, much more than just a friend to the girl he waited for his bitch's reply. "Oh, you mean Sesshomaru? He's good, he's really good. I mean he's such a sweet a guy; I don't know what I'd do without him." Easily able to scent the tension pouring from her small form at the topic that had been brought about, he dug his claws into the concrete wall behind him.

"I'm glad you're here, Kagome. I had thought that you were going to miss this, you know with how you seem to get sick a lot and all. Um, anyway, do you have any plans for after you finish high school? Do you want to go to college?"

Quite interested as to how his mate would respond to the question, the dog prince listened intently. It was apparent to both he and the woman that she would most certainly not be fulfilling any such plans, yet he was curious as to what they might have been had the circumstances been different. "I don't know, I haven't really thought a lot about it. I would really like to go to college, maybe Tokyo U. or somewhere over in the states but I'm still not sure about anything. How about you?"

"Well, since you've given me such a wonderful opportunity to learn about so many different illnesses, I've decided that I'm going to become a doctor. I'm planning on going to Tokyo U. myself, but nothing is set in stone yet. You see, my parents want me to stay relatively close to home so I can help them out every now and then; I guess I don't mind. After that though, I'm not really sure…"

On the dance floor, the miko who knew exactly what the boy was looking for her to say completely turned about the topic in hopes of dropping the matter. "Um…have I missed anything important in school?" Noticing how his hopeful face fell, she mentally winced with the guilt that she was feeling for leading him on even on this very minute level. Really, he was a good guy; it was just that he wasn't the guy for her. Hearing his sigh she pretended to listen intently to his next words.

"Everything we learn in school is important, Kagome-san. However, I don't think you missed anything that would be too crucial. If you'd like I would gladly tutor you until you're caught up with the rest of class. Finals for the year are coming up soon, you know?"

Completely clueless as to how to respond to his offer as well as being a bit stunned that finals were coming, she stared open mouthed for a moment before she was saved by a most wonderful streak of luck. A young man, one of the guys Hojo hung around with, ran up to them and grabbed his shoulder, panting. "Hey man, Riko got sick and is puking his guts out. Do you think you could help us get him home?" Noticing the conflicted look upon his face Kagome decided to give him a push in the right direction.

"Go ahead, he's your friend. We can always talk some other time." Seeing the kind hearted young man nod hesitantly, she let out a deep breath as she felt him let go of her hips and pace away in the opposite direction. The moment that she was completely sure he was out of hearing distance, the miko let out a soft groan. Kami, that was a lot more painful than she had originally thought it was going to be. Not noticing a very rowdy group of young men coming her direction, Kagome waited to hear what she figured to be some silly faced paced club song that was pumping through the black, boxed speakers. Laughing to herself at the, what she considered to be, completely senseless lyrics she slowly turned to walk back to her date, startled as two obnoxious perverts started grinding themselves against her.

The lord of the western lands, who had done a note worthy job of containing himself thus far, immediately felt his muscles bunch at the scene before him. The shy little pup had been one thing, but this…this was another matter entirely. Right before him, in his direct line of vision, were two revolting ningen males rubbing their sexes against the form of his mate. Insolent humans! Were they truly so blind as to not see the open declaration of their wishes to claim the miko in a sexual manner that they were so crudely displaying? Letting his deep chested growl drop to a level nearly undetectable to mortal ears, he watched the confused, panicked expression on the face of his mate for a moment before dashing towards the group at unseen speeds and snatching her away.

Finally coming to a halt in the opposite, less occupied side of the room, he glared down at the priestess. The Taiyoukai of the west had had quite enough of this new time. At the next sunrise they would be returning to the palace moon. However, at the moment his sole goal was to drag his woman out of this sensually driven hole of horribly vile human specimens. "Mate," he growled out in a tone that left no room for argument, "We're leaving. Now." Snatching her wrist with his large, calloused hand and wrapping his paled clawed fingers tightly around it the inu was quite shocked as he met resistance to his attempt to guide her away. Whipping his silver head about he ground out, "Koi, do not presume to argue wit this Sesshomaru. The matter has been decided upon and you will do as you have been instructed."

Angered at his sudden decision to leave Kagome stood her ground. Whatever it was that had set him off, most likely those assholes on the dance floor, he would just have to get over. This was her dance! She came so that she could spend a few final hours with people of her age, from her time, that did normal things. She wasn't just going to leave because he said so! This was a _dance_ and so far she had hardly gotten to dance at all. "No! Sesshomaru, stop! Kami, what are you thinking? This is my last chance to be around people like me!"

"These people are nothing like you."

"You know what I mean! It's a dance, Sesshomaru! A dance, and I've only danced once! If you want to leave then that's fine, go ahead. In fact, be my guest, but I'm staying here! I want to enjoy myself and if you don't want to dance with me then maybe I'll just go find someone who will!"

Fighting against the urge to simply give the girl a good smack that was welling up inside him, he decided that just this once he would appease her silly notions. After all, what harm could placating his little mate do? Mind slipping to ponder the query for a short lived moment, he gave a mental shudder, realizing all too quickly that he didn't wish to know. Shooting a heated glare in her direction he gave her a begrudging nod before snapping orders to wait for him where she was. Seeing her hands jut out on her hips and her face take on a clearly skeptical visage, he simply replied with a look of his own before marching off into the crowd of ningens. Alright, he would give her what she wanted this once, but there was certainly no way that he would be gyrating so degradingly to this monstrous cacophony these fools claimed to be music. No, if he was to dance it would be to a melody he was familiar with, one he was sure to already have mastered. Really, what were all those months of ridiculous dance lesson his father had insisted upon for?

Battling the sincere urge to cover his overly sensitive demonic ears at the music exploding from the black box contraptions situated on either side of him, the lord of the west growled lowly in an instantaneous demand for attention. Seeing a boy, maybe several summers older than his Kagome and in the most horrid garb he had ever witnessed walk up to him, he gave the ningen a cold glare. "Boy, this Sesshomaru demands you play some more suitable musical accompaniment."

Laughing the DJ pointed his stubby, ring covered finger at the silver haired man before him and slapped his knee. "That was great, dude! You don't request, you demand! Ha!" His happy hysteria finally subsiding to a dull a chuckle he asked, "But seriously man, what can I play for you? I've got everything with this new internet hook up library, makes my job a breeze."

Having no idea as to what this 'internet' was or the slightest notion of the meaning behind such a term as 'dude', Sesshomaru held his cold façade and pressed, "You will play a traditional, musical piece. Most preferably something from the western origins of this country. Is this Sesshomaru clear?"

"I don't know, I mean I'm pretty damn sure no one is going to dig that. How about some hip-hop or something a little more modern?" In response to his offer he was swiftly given a handful of cash that the lord had brought with him on the preference of always carrying at least some money. Opening his mouth to protest, he was stunned to see exactly how much money was in his open palm. Smirking he said, "Sure, I'm convinced. It'll be coming right up after this jam."

The usual disgust that flowed through him at mortals' monetary motivation was indeed present as he gave the boy an impatient nod and strode swiftly back to his mate. Not truly wanting to take the time to speak at the moment, seeing as he was simply humoring her he just drug her to the middle of the floor on which he had so recently viewed the humans' obscene displays of 'dance'. Finally hearing the first introductory notes of a very familiar song he was quite frankly surprised had been kept into this era, he positioned himself in a flawless starting form, feet spread apart on the diagonal, one hand raised and intertwined with his female's and the other wrapped tightly around her waist.

Noticing the grumbling of the other humans as they cleared the floor complaining about the awful selection, he was very aware of their audience. Hm, fine if the mortals wanted a show it would be a show they got; however, the purpose of this show would be to explain exactly to whom the girl in his arms belonged. Hearing the panicked voice of his mate, he looked down. "Sesshomaru what are you doing? This is not what I meant at all! I mean I want to dance but I have no idea how to do _this_!"

Final words falling from her lips the raven haired girl closed her eyes as she tried to steady her breathing. Oh, this was just great. She could face a hundred demons in the feudal era but she couldn't dance? Kami, she just didn't understand herself! Becoming aware of the low, raspy voice currently traveling the short distance to her ears she gulped. "Mate, you said that you wished to dance and this Sesshomaru has accommodated you. Hm, besides onna, this is a male's leading dance, simply follow my movements." Placing her other arm in the proper position against his chest he teased, "And, mate, do try not to hurt yourself."

Before she could bite out a retort, Sesshomaru heard the music pick up and quickly drew her closer to him, only push away once again in a much exaggerated motion. Releasing his former hold on his hip he smirked down at her before twirling her slightly resisting body in towards his own before twisting her back out to his arm's full extension. Although he'd always thought the whole dance a silly thing, at the moment he found himself to be quite enjoying the sight of his flushed fumbling mate. Keeping her stationary with a well placed hand he moved fluidly behind her and spread both of his large hands flat across her stomach. Whispering for her to reach her arms around his neck, he waited for her hesitant compliance before he shifted her slightly, running his palm across her outer thigh, thoroughly enjoy the jealous looks he received from most every male in the room.

Kagome however, was not enjoying herself. On the contrary, her nerves were completely shot for fear that she would stumble and land squarely upon her face. Jumping slightly at the feel of his hand brushing her upper leg, she instinctively moved it further away from him in what found to be the correct response. Once again floating in the sensation of being twirled around like a weightless doll, she found her sapphire eyes locked with the obviously amused orbs of the Taiyoukai. Seeing his one hand ghost across her chest while the other shot up to hold her chin tightly, the miko decided that she had never blushed so much in her life. Not only was this way too intimate for her but her friends, no the entire school, was just standing there watching.

Knowing that the sensuality of the dance was getting to her, the western lord made an instinctual decision to work with it. After all, it would only be one more sight of their connection for the humans to witness. Mentally chuckling at the voice of his ancient instructor ringing through his head on how this particular dance was purely a waltz of seduction; he leaned closer to the girl until his lips brushed hers before snapping himself back to a good distance and giving her a fanged smirk. Once again moving his muscled arms so that they were held firmly against the sides of her mid stomach, the inu swept the disoriented girl into the air and spun himself around twice holding her at varying heights before placing her once again on the floor and beginning his advance.

Wide eyed and open mouthed Kagome actually let loose a yelp as he lined his form up with her and moved them as one unit. Where in the name of Kami had this demon learned to dance? How many things like this were there about him that she didn't know? Well…she had just never taken him for the dancing type, but still! Barely realizing how he managed to keep her body's movements fluent and in sync with his own, she was surprised to find herself once again facing the lord. Letting him continue his instruction and action, Kagome realized that he was looking directly at her as if searching her eyes for some knowledge or emotion.

Seeing himself reflected back in the glassy blue eyes he was currently engaged in, the western lord wondered if she was pleased with him. Not simply with his dancing, but himself in general. Did she approve? Was he taking care of everything she needed? Never having had to question his worthiness before this woman came along it was moments like this that he felt his normally composed self strangled in doubt. Aware of the first note of the ending measure to their song ringing through the air, he jerked her leg around his waist and dipped her backwards slowly in a movement that would have made any woman blush. Quite finished, he had to restrain himself from tackling the female to the ground and showing her how much he cared right there on the floor beneath them, crowd be damned.

Severely out of it herself, the miko was quick to realize that she had been completely straightened and lifted once again in the arms of her date in a bridal fashion. Barely acknowledging his words, she quickly attempted to tune herself back into reality. "Mate, this Sesshomaru has concluded that it is time we take our leave." Not really knowing anything else to do but nod, the miko glanced around the silently awed crowd as she was carried through the doors they had entered early. As soon as they were out of sight, Kagome was forced to cling to the demon currently supporting her as he made short work of the distance to her home with his demonic speed.

Sesshomaru, who was simply glad to be away from the over crowded mortal gathering cradled his precious mate to him with one hand as he used the other to twist open the metallic knob that would grant them passage into his female's home. Stepping through and shutting the door behind him as quietly as possible, the inu lord carried his softly squirming mate up the steep steps and into her room before shutting the door tightly and putting up enough of a weak ki barrier to keep any sound they made from waking the occupants of the house. Spying the folded silk hakama pants the girl's mother must have placed in the room after they had taken their leave, he waited until his bitch shyly began to change in a corner seemingly very conscious of his gaze until he began to change himself. Making quick work of the suit, he tossed the cursed thing a heap in the corner and slipped his silk bottoms on, opting to go without his shirt.

Turning, he saw his mate in the faint light that was coming from the dim, modern candle in the corner, lovely as ever. Her silken midnight locks, although a bit tussled hung semi-neatly over her shoulders that were exposed through the very think straps of the tiny white shirt she was wearing. Although the top clung to her shapely body, the bottoms she wore were large and baggy, made out of some intricately patterned cotton fabric. Watching her crawl into her odd futon and reach her outstretched fingers toward the source of light that was currently basking the room in a dull orange glow, he made a very sharp gesture for her to leave it as it was. Climbing onto the mattress himself, he looked questioningly at the thing once, before propping himself up against the wall behind him and pulling his little female into his lap. "Onna, you promised this Sesshomaru you would speak of your ordeal last night. Speak." Taking note of the manner in which she stiffened, he waited quietly for her response.

Kagome, who had not at all forgotten about the events of the previous night yet had managed to push them to the back of her preoccupied mind, could feel her muscles bunch at the memory. Honestly, she wished he wasn't so insistent about knowing each and every thing that happened to her while he wasn't present, but she supposed it was simply how he was. Thinking of a way to word things so as to not anger the already tried demon lord she spoke, "Well, I guess I fell asleep," out of the corner of her eye she could see him shooting her a most incredulous look, almost as if saying 'well, yeah!'. Shaking her head free from the distraction she continued, "And I dreamt that I was near the God tree outside Kaede's village before I released Inuyasha. Actually when I was walking up to the tree I could still see him pinned there by the arrow Kikyo had shot all those years ago. I was just sort of looking at him, when I heard his voice behind me and there he was. I don't really think that it was a true dream, though. I'm pretty sure it was actually Inuyasha communicating with me."

Annoyed that his brother had found a way to contact his female even after he had been turned out to the grave, the western youkai grunted and tightened his already slightly painful grip on the girl, listening for her next words. "We talked for a while about…stuff. I was just so glad to see him that I forgot to ask half of the things that I wanted to." Once again agitated that she was as she put it 'so glad to see him', he narrowed his honeyed amber orbs as she continued. "After that he sort of seemed to just fade away."

Wincing mentally as she fought against her conscious about her ever so convenient exclusion of the kiss they had shared, Kagome sighed. "The Naraku came. It was like he had the same presence as in my last dream. He sort of toyed with me for a while, then he got angry…and then he seemed to back off again. I guess, I…I guess I said your name when he kissed me." Turning away, the miko waited for his reaction.

Infuriated that she had come into contact with the lips of another, his sole comfort was that it was his name that she had spoken. Although all comfort died away at the prospect of her confusing him so easily with such a lowly creature. Managing to hold in a testy growl, the Taiyoukai cleared his throat, once again gaining her attention. "Mate, this Sesshomaru would not have it that he so easily be confused with another, especially one such as that vile half breed. However…" he paused not really sure what to add to the sentence. Should he reprimand her harshly or just let her off and chalk it up to the madness of the whole thing. Deciding on a combination of the two, he explained, "This Sesshomaru shall not hold it against you in this instance mate. Yet, if it is to ever occur again there will be reparations of the most serious manner to be dealt with."

Distractedly nodding at the warning, the miko chewed her lower lip. She had to tell him about Inuyasha! He'd been so honest with her through the entire length of her stay with him that she felt as if she needed to return the favor. Besides, it was most certainly not in Kagome's nature to lie or tell half truths. Now, the only thing that she had to contend with was the matter of how exactly she was going to let the demon beside her know. It wasn't as if she could just slip it into casual conversation, well she might have been able to but she had a good feeling that the conversation would quickly manage to spiral into something much more voracious. Gulping inaudibly, she thought of all the ways she could tell him. 'Well Sesshomaru that was a lovely dance, by the way I kissed your dead brother. Goodnight! Hm, you know you're a much better kisser than your brother. No. Um, hey! Lets play a guessing game. You don't know? Okay! I kissed Inuyasha! Wow, I win! Night!' Somehow she didn't think any of those would fly with the demon lord.

In any normal relationship she was fairly sure it wouldn't have been such a big deal, but she instinctively knew that it was something that was going to set Sesshomaru off on a tirade. The thought had crossed her mind to simply blame the entire kiss on Inuyasha, saying he forced her into it, but she could never do that to him. After all he'd done for her while he was alive she couldn't lie about him doing something like that. No, she'd kissed him because it had felt right to her and that was what her heart had told her to do. Sesshomaru was just going to have to try to understand that as best he could. Taking a deep breath, she turned to the still attentive demon lord. "There is something else that I need to let you know."

Sick of not being in the loop with the girl, he said, "What is it mate?"

Turning her head away from him she choked out in a guilty voice, "While I was dreaming, er, whatever that was last night….I kissed Inuyasha." Gasping she added a hasty, "I'm really sorry, Sesshomaru! I know it might not have been the best decision but I needed to do it! I truly don't feel that way for him, he's just my best friend and I couldn't break his heart like that. It was the last thing he was ever going to ask of me! He died for me, Sesshomaru! I couldn't just say no!" Panting she braced herself for the smack or screaming that was to come, only to be met with complete and utter silence. Holding her defensive position for a few more moments, she slowly began to relax a bit and turned to see if she could read anything in his face. Eyes wide as she was able to fully view the dog prince, she let out a startled squeak. Before her, in the very same bed as her, sat the most feral looking inu demon she had ever seen. Even in comparison to his previous outbursts this seemed to be unmeasured; making the mistake of glancing directly into his crimson flooded eyes, the miko soon found herself unable to look away. It was in that exact position she sat until the western lord finally made a move.

A/N: Well, there you are! This one was about a page shorter but that's okay I guess. The next is going to take two weeks to get so just bare with me. Thanks for everything and please review for me!


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: Well, here we go with the next chapter; I don't know why but for some reason this chapter was just a lot harder for me to write. Maybe it has something to with coming to the end of this story and wracking my brain to tie up all the loose ends. Anyway, thanks once again for all of your support and kind words.

Freezing as if he was being held in place by some odd invisible field, the western lord growled angrily, toning his primal response to an octave so low it was completely undetectable to mortal ears. There had been not even a moment of struggle, for as much as the more refined, civilized side of Sesshomaru wished to deny it, there were certain occurrences in which even he could not prevent the emergence of his beast. Knowing instinctively that his inu wouldn't harm the girl fatally as well as having no means of reaching her while his form was being controlled, the dog prince sat back and resigned himself to a worried stance of observation as he listened to the thoughts rumbling inside the mind of his primal self. True, both sides of him were upset and true his two personas were only separate components of one soul; however this was the way demons had always been and the way he assumed it would stay.

'Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. _My bitch._' A pack member, a damnable subordinate pack member, one sharing his own blood even dared to take such liberties with his chosen female? Baring his glistening teeth at no one in particular, he closed his now blood hued eyes envisioning all of the ways he could have killed the little bastard. This female was his! Even in death the mutt didn't know when to leave well enough alone; the pup had never been good enough for his bitch and it seemed to be common knowledge to everyone except her. 'Mine. Mine. Mine. _My female._' The faithless child would have simply shattered her heat once more as he had done in the past with his cruel words and unfaithful tendencies. _NO! _Only he could treat her as she deserved. Only _him!_

Instinctively tightening his clawed fists, shredding the soft fabric of the sheets and top layers of the feathered mattress, causing large waves of agitating fluff to seeping forth below him. The pup was challenging his authority. His bitch was challenging his authority. Had he not shown his complete competence as a leader? Had he not proved himself worthy of their trust? Was their some unseen flaw that marred him so terribly that they found it necessary to defy him? Impossible! He was the most feared powerful demon in all of Japan, had noble blood origins, even a political figure! No, he was more than competent; these fools were just testing him. Now fully snarling as he slowly turned his silver head towards the girl he _would _have as _his _mate, he took a moment to look her over. Perfection. True perfection. From her silky raven locks to the petite feminine figure she most certainly personified the word. Who else could protect her as he could, provide for her as he could…and yet, she seemed not to care. Was the bitch challenging his claim? Was this some silly game to the girl? Hm, well if the female wanted to play a game he would most certainly play, however she should know that he _always _won and he played for keeps. Yes, she would be his even if he had to chain her to his side.

Pouncing towards his prey in what was only a very minute display of his true agile potential, Sesshomaru carelessly yanked her towards his towering form, hands roughly positioned on her tiny waist before tossing her none too gently over his shoulder and making a mad dash for the window. Demonic personality highly unnerved by the small, claustrophobic ningen housing, the western lord leapt through the open window through which a gentle breeze blew, directing his immediate energies upon shooting deep into the still rather domesticated forest that surrounded the female's place of birth. Easily dodging each and every tree limb and stray boulder that lined his path so haphazardly, the now irrational beast took no great care to do the same for his passenger. She was testing his patience and therefore deserved no such special treatment; deeply, even the raging feral entity was howling in mourning at the way he was currently handling his beloved mate. This was for the best; this would teach her in a way words could not. At the same time making sure no real damage was inflicted upon his bitch, he tightened his resolve, now less fueled by anger and more by frustration. She was his, his mate, his companion, his female, his bitch. He had dedicated all of himself to her, sexually, mentally, emotionally, spiritually…and she _would_ be providing him with that same comfort.

Finally coming to a halt in a clearing full of dense, prickled underbrush, the primal creature tossed his load upon one of the only dry dirt patches free of pointed vegetation. Not falling down besides her, as he was instinctually driven to make a point with his positioning above her, he simply glared down at the young woman through glowing crimson eyes. The scent of her fear only fueled his passionate aggressions, for to an inu, fear somewhat like what a human would consider an admission of guilt. Of course, he had known from the start that she had indeed committed the transgression as it had fallen from her own lips; the fragrance of terror however served the unfortunate purpose of dragging the primal lord back into the realm of rage.

Lying on the cold ground, perfectly still under the inspection of the once shinning amber orbs, the miko shivered, from fear or actual coolness she would never know, yet it was clear that the action had given her 'captor' a vindictive sort of pleasure. Grinding her teeth in an attempt to hold her tongue, Kagome averted her gaze from the lord. She knew this wasn't okay. She was most certainly not his punching bag and she was tired of playing the part. Visions of each time he had struck her rushed through her crowded mind, resulting in the sensation of tiny pin pricks as tears began to well at the corner of her glistening sapphire eyes. Even in school, when she had actually been going to school often, she learned that physical abuse was wrong, yet until now she had never held it against the dog demon thinking it simply to be part of his nature. However, the second her tender personage had been dropped to the soil she was now curled upon, she decided that she cared more than she had thought. Never had she let Inuyasha push her around in such a way during their four years of travel, so what made his elder brother so different? Disappointed in herself as well as Sesshomaru, Kagome rolled over to her side completely ignoring the growls sounding above her, picked herself up off the forest floor and turned her back to the inu demon. Decidedly not even looking back for fear that she would let his actions slip past her once again, the priestess began walking off into the dense woods, hoping against all hope that she had chosen the right direction.

The carnal canine seemingly left behind in the underbrush snarled, narrowing his bloody eyes until they appeared only as ting slits upon the countenance of his pale face. Nearly barking his rage at what he instinctually recognized as a dismissive, disobedient gesture the western prince moved faster than even he had thought possible. Snatching the delicate wrists of the female before him as he whipped her around harshly, he snarled plainly for her to see. "Bitch," he snarled in a voice so heavy with rage that not even a fully demonic interpreter could have decoded, "So not turn your back on this Sesshomaru. Look!" Roughly dragging her closer to him he let his pointed fangs trace lightly against her throat in a warning while his eyes held her each second, burning a message of complete dominations into the sapphire pools.

Honestly, in any other moment he would have been aroused by the intoxicating scent of the girl's fear mixed with the only just detectable aroma of her soon coming heat but on this night he had much more important things to dwell upon. Images flashing within his overly paranoid mind of his onna with other males, submitting to other males, mating other males, having the pups of other males flashed through his mind farther pushing away any ground he may have momentarily gained in the battle for physical control of his towering form. No matter what, this was going to end on his terms and only when she came to a complete and thorough understanding of who was in charge in this relationship. He had given her so much and this was how she saw fit to repay him? Snarling even more viciously at the young woman child, the dog prince snapped his teeth, waiting upon the girl for a response.

Now fully ready to speak her mind as was her true nature, the miko gave a rather chilling growl herself. "What do you think you're doing? Do NOT grab me like that, Sesshomaru! I swear, not even Inuyasha treated me like that and he did a lot of really awful things. Hell, Sesshomaru! Even Koga with all his gruffness never physically treated me like you do! What is what with you? What do you think gives you those kind of rights? And don't you DARE say tell you are the male and know best because I have enough of that from you to last a lifetime! Well, what do you have to say for yourself? Anything? Huh?" Although anger shone through her outer being, internally the miko was crumbling. This was just going to go on forever. It wasn't going to stop and she needed him to know that she just couldn't handle it anymore!

Quite riled at being compared to other males even in the slightest, the western dog tightened his grip upon the woman he felt needed to learn a great deal of obedience. Did she truly think that he would allow her to continue with her defiance without consequence? Well, she could not have been anymore wrong. He _was_ in charge and she would recognize it before the night was through. Ready to retaliate harshly, Sesshomaru was nearly knocked back into his rational mind behind the sincere curiosity of the question that next he heard, "Why are you like this? Why is that you freak on me all of the time?" Reasoning having taken over his thought patterns at the very valid questions, the best within found himself forced not wholly but for the most part back into its mental restraints. Grabbing the girl within his arms the lord tossed himself down on a boulder seated at the edge of a small creek he had been much too preoccupied to know was in existence.

Glaring down into the murky water, he studied his own features as they were portrayed back at him, reflected in the silvery light of the moon. He looked…scary, and yet he wasn't even in his full angered stages of transformation. Is this what his gentle little Kagome saw every time he lost control? Why did she not run and flee in terror as every other being would have? Did she really trust him enough that she had faith even during such moments? Was that even possible? Shaking his head as his masculine face regained its more serene features Sesshomaru also took the time to study the face of his mate. Surprisingly he found that she didn't look mad exactly, just a bit frustrated and extremely tired. Wishing he could have avoided answering her question, yet knowing that she deserved nothing less than a full explanation, the great inu demon took several silent, drawn out breaths hoping to sort his mass of intertwined thoughts.

"This Sesshomaru behaves instinctually," glancing towards the moody females from the corner of his gleaming eyes, the western lord resigned himself to the clearly apparent fact that his words would not suffice in this instance. "Onna, this Sesshomaru need not justify himself to you; however, you shall be appeased this once." Nearly choking on his own arrogance the youkai prince sighed heavily. True, he was quite well informed on the history of his demonic origins but he had never actually been fond of comparing himself to the mindless demonic descendants that roamed the country side of Japan so many thousands of years ago. Knowing that now was a most inappropriate time to vocalize his agitation, yet wallowing in the knowledge of his own personal ties, the dog demon tightened his grip on the expectant female within his strong embrace. "Hm, this Sesshomaru shall not repeat himself so listen closely onna. Ever since the beginning of creation sprung forth from the will of the Kamis, all demonic clans, inu more so than any other breed, have always been more abundant in the male populous." Registering her next question before it even fell from her moist lips he trudged onward with his explanation. "Before you ask, this Sesshomaru shall inform you that it is not known as to why. It simply is. It is this Sesshomaru's opinion that the uneven balance is some sort of natural assurance that only the strongest males will be able to reproduce and further their bloodline. Thus, as a result, mating has always been difficult for inu youkai. As the mating involves both a male and a female it is simply an instinctual derivative that we should become somewhat possessive."

Annoyed at the young woman's sort at the addition of the phrase 'somewhat' the dog prince ignored his frustrations and continued. "If you have not already noticed, inu male are excessively particular as to which females they will and will not mate with. As a whole our breed is known to take the longest preparation period before actually taking a mate. The best females," he said, hoping she would catch his veiled compliment, "are to be treasured. As that is understood between the thinning population, those with the most desirable traits tend to be fought over most viciously." Slipping in a form of his own arrogant self defense as he always seemed to manage to do, he kept on. "As it so happens miko, this Sesshomaru's blood beast is simply protecting what is _his_." Putting a great deal of stress on the final word of his statement he watched for some sort of reaction to his claim. Seeing none he spoke once more, "He is under the impression that each male whom lays eyes on you is a rival for your affections and thus for it seems it has been more that correct. Inu males naturally provide for their mates but are," he groaned mentally hating to admit it, "very needy in the area of tender affection from the chosen female. Even the loss of attention to our first born pup," he smiled lightly at the thought, picturing for a moment a small silver-haired, blue eyed little inu racing throughout the palace gardens, "shall be hard to accept. It is nearly certain that the only thing to keep a horrendously jealous male from ridding himself of such a needy little creation is the sense of blood connection and the model of ownership it reaps over the onna. The beast has eyes only for you now onna and it shall remain as such for the rest of eternity and even there after. This Sesshomaru has no understanding as to why you feel such a pressing need to converse, or even be in the presence of other males."

The miko, taking in his silent yet all around childish pout tilted her head to the side and craned her delicate neck to gaze up at him. "Because Sesshomaru, they're my friends. Don't you trust me enough to let me have friends? Do you think I'm just going to take off and run from you to be with some other guy? How many times are we going to have this exact same conversation? Don't you listen to what I say?" Completely ignoring the dangerous growl that sounded above her at the mention of such a thing, she drew out her despairingly pleading speech. "Sesshomaru, we can't, _I _can't, just keep going through this? You either trust me or you don't. What is it that you want me to do? What would make you feel better? Tell me now, because I really need to know!"

Not knowing exactly how to respond to her demands, the inu lord maintained his silence. What was it that he wanted her to do? Ignoring the voice in the back of his mind that suggested locking herself away in some desolate location known only to him would be a very suitable answer, he let his eyes fall. Rationally, he knew that he was asking the impossible from the little priestess in his lap, yet his less than sane alter persona demanded no less. Wasn't her complete faithfulness to his moronic brother one of the reasons why he had recognized her as a suitable candidate in the first place? Only years earlier, before he had known the female he had so unexpectedly fallen in love with, he would have told any male in this situation to simply force their way upon the bitch. In fact, he had advised many males to do just that with their partner; so why was it now that the time had come to follow his own advice he was backing away like a hypocritical fool? Why wasn't it as easy as he had thought it to be? Painfully making his admittance to the one he cared for most he murmured in uncertain tones, "This Sesshomaru does not know."

Nearly drug down into letting go of her defense by the utter confusion that his deep, baritone voice held it took everything she had not to crack and simply dismiss the incident. No, if she didn't deal with it now it was just going to come back to haunt her later; yet, she couldn't help but softening somewhat. Taking his squared chin lightly in her hands she turned herself until she was fully facing the demon beneath her. "Neither do I, Sesshomaru and that is just the problem. I care for you more than anything and you know it, but I can't just give up every other man in my life. I care for them too, not in the same way but I still do care. If you really thought as highly of me as you seem to claim you do, then you wouldn't make me choose." Feeling a slight breeze brush the silken soft tips of her raven hair against her cheeks, creating a slight tickling sensation, she let the sensitive side of her that would forever exist add its own commentary. "I know you can't always help it and I understand that it is instinctually, but you aren't even trying. Like I said, you don't need to worry about me going anywhere." Smiling gently and leaning her smooth forehead against his she finished, "You honestly couldn't get rid of me if you tried."

Sensing that she was ready to let the subject drop at least for the moment to give him some time to think on the matter, the dog demon stood, arms still wrapped around his female as he began the journey back to her den. "We shall be returning to our home tomorrow, Koi." Our home, he felt his insides become warm, something about it just sounded so right. Watching as she nodded sleepily before pressing herself into his chest, the lord let his mind wander. She was serious about this; he truly needed to figure out a method of appeasing them both. Unused to compromise however, the idea was partially baffling to him. Hm, this was a matter that would indeed take some thought.

With Naraku in the Feudal Era:

Ruby red liquor running over his chapped lips and burning a quick path down his throat, the surly spider hanyou carelessly tossed yet another bottle of fine liquor against the wall, shattering the tediously tapered glass into tiny shards. Wiping away a small trailing drip from the corner of his mouth the back of a massive, pasty hand, Naraku actually laughed. Oh, it was truly all too easy. Only a night before he had been mentally thrashing himself for the apparent failure of his last scheme, confined within the damp stone walls of the run down eastern manor. For hours he had been stuck, unable to move forward of back, incapable of forming any sort of new plan; then, it came to him. He would take the place moon. Why? Simply to off the infuriating inu lord and level the odds a bit, by doing this he would easily be able to commence their last duel on his own time and terms. How? Easily, of course; he had taken matters into his own finely clawed hands, consuming the remains the of transformation potion he had received for one of his earlier, and perhaps most successful ventures.

Having taken on the form of the fearsome lord of the lands, he had been able to easily travel through the open country of the western lands unhindered. After all, who would dare to confront such a formidable demon in his own territory? A small part of his was jealous, envious of the fact that the idiotic inu seemed to have such a great deal of clout behind his name. Consoling himself with the fact that he would one rise to such a status, preferably one even greater, the half demon had come to find himself at the gates of the famed palace moon. Not being questioned in the least at his entrance, he had been quite shocked indeed to find the congregation of youkai nobility awaiting him, watching his every move. Truly, it had taken every once of control that he was capable to keep himself from slaughtering all those present.

Kami, in that room had been nearly all of the people he hated most and yet he could do nothing. Immediately getting an idea of why such a crowd was present he braced himself with the stoic indifference of the actual lord and dismissed every last guest. At first there had been a slight uproar as to his mating a female without the completion of a proper ceremony, however it died down quickly after he shot each a scathing look. Hm, after that he had come across the problem of dismissing all of the servants without appearing too suspicious. Knowing that the best card to play was simply his superiority, he had had that frustrating little toad gumi gather them together, congregating near the wide halls of the palace front. Surprised at the lack of questioning that followed his request, the spider decided that he had to give the mutt some credit. At least he knew how to keep his help in line. Several hours later he had finally found himself alone in the castle of white marble, having been informed that the western army was several days march off training. Yes, he smirked; luck seemed to be on his side. Now, all that was left to do was wait.

With Sesshomaru and Kagome:

Moaning her way out of the deeply induced euphoria of a sleep laden mind, the miko Kagome turned ever so slightly, feeling the gentle warmth of the sunlight caress her milky skin. Kami, it had been a long night; the last thing she even remembered was falling asleep in the arms of the infamous western lord who was now curled tightly around her in a protective ball. Reaching down to gently stroke the fine, silver fur that adorned the fluffy appendage now circling her waste, she couldn't help but smile at the deep purring sound that flowed from directly behind her,. After nearly dislocating her softly pointed jaw in a massive yawn, she temporarily broke away from the possessive dog lord and turned herself to face him, landing awkwardly at first and taking several long moments to get quite comfortable once again.

Never one to rush his bitch, Sesshomaru loosened his iron like grip around the young female's delicate waist and waited patiently as she fell still once more after a great deal of squirming and sighing. Amber eyes gazing down at the sleepy miko, a very odd stray thought crossed his mind…she looked cute. His immediate reaction to the thought was to question his own state of well being. Cute? Since when had he, the most feared demon lord in all of Japan, resorted to language such as cute? Rolling his amber eyes as he warned himself not to think too much into the matter he spoke, "Mate we will be returning to the palace. Have you any objections?" Hm, not that he truly would have considered them. Being present in this time period put much more stress on his demonic energies than he was willing to admit.

Quite sure that they would be going either way, the woman child decided not to argue about it, she did sort of want to see her friends again anyway. Without voicing any protests, she nodded to the silver haired lord and proceeded to roll off of the feathered mattress, only to be pulled back to a firm chest once more. "Hm, mate, speak. This Sesshomaru wishes to hear your lovely voice before we venture out". Giggling at his odd request and deciding to play with him a bit, she turned her head towards him and shook her answer, 'no.' Watching as the playful look spread from her own sapphire eyes to the amber ones currently boring into her, she suddenly felt a weight atop her. Surprised to find the fully bred dog demon on top of her in a span of time shorter than an eye blink, Kagome nearly forgot her game until he leaned down and teasingly growled into the small shell of her ear. "Come now mate, would you truly wish to hinder this Sesshomaru's contentment?"

Receiving the most adorable puppy dog face that she had until this moment not thought him capable of, the girl merrily let a laugh spill forth as she conceded. "Oh, ok! Alright, alright! Ha, good morning Sesshomaru." A swift, chaste kiss upon the lips was her only response as the heavy body above her rolled expectantly to side, letting her slip out from under him and finally make her way across the floor of her bedroom. Changing into another of her white and green school uniforms as the dog lord slipped into his white, silk attire she turned only to see a look of displeasure painted across the face of the demon.

"Onna, this Sesshomaru has previously informed you not to wear such revealing garb. The flesh you so carelessly choose to expose to hoards of passerby is for the eyes of this Sesshomaru only. You will change at once." Narrowing his eyes as she simply scoffed at his remark, he was nearly floored as she tossed a dismissive hand in his direction before marching around him and practically flying down the steps in search of what he suspected to be a morning meal. Deciding it was not at all a good time to start yet another argument with the girl, he grudgingly let the whole thing pass and followed his bitch towards the cooking area where he found her seated across from her mother at the low, mahogany serving table.

Taking a seat as he had been nonverbally commanded to do so, he graciously accepted a steaming cup of green chai tea, quickly tuning himself into the rapidly spewed dialogue of the two raven haired females. Kami, it never ceased to amaze him how much beings of the female sex could talk, not to mention how quickly. "You're leaving again already? What's the rush dear?"

Gulping down a mouthful of some sort of oddly shaped human biscuit, he listened to his mate's sweet voice respond. "Yeah, sorry about that mom. We have a lot to do you know? We'll come back soon though, right Sesshomaru?" Nodding lightly at the question the girl had voiced, he simply closed his amber eyes and faded into his own thoughts for the moment. Kami, when they arrived back at the palace they still had to go through the proverbial hell of a mating ceremony. In actuality, it wasn't the ceremony that bothered him, he was perfectly comfortable making such promises to his precious mate; it was simply the mass presence of the upper class that was involved. Loathing such social gatherings, especially when he was unfortunate enough to be the one hosting, he was daunted by the fact so many being were now inhabiting his home even in his absence.

Never a social creature, he was quite content to stay in his own home, minding his own damn business in the presence of his female without the annoying disturbance of babbling royalty. Honesty, some of the fools were such horrid leaders, that they were quite quickly running their territories in the ground. Sighing as he heard the clink of glasses and plates being removed from the table and the shuffling sound of mortal motion, the great inu opened his intense amber eyes and stood. Gathering his onna to him in a few short words, he bowed slightly to the elder female and pulled the girl out of her odd futuristic home, practically dashing to the well house to his sensitive nose from any further aggravation than it had already suffered.

Kagome, who was a bit dazed by the quick succession of their departure, momentarily found herself within the hold of familiar arms, situated on the uneven wood ledge of the well. Muttering something about being a literal 'speed demon', the miko was soon surrounded by the cool blight light that filtered over her skin, almost like the water of a gushing spring. Finding herself once again on solid ground on the opposite well-side, the girl marveled for the millionth time at the oddity of such a thing. It was truly amazing and boggled her mind in all aspects, though it mostly served to make her wonder if other such time rifts were open across the Japan, or even the world. Taking it as one of life's mysteries that might very well plague her to the end of her day, she smiled over at the demon lord as he set her down gently, silently wondering how he managed to look so good all of the time. Hell, even when covered in bloody wounds he still held a certain charm about him. Slightly envious but able to giggle about it, the woman child turned around only to be nearly bowled over be a fuzzy, orange blur shooting into her open arms.

"Mama! Mama! Mama! Mama! Mama! You're back Mama! You're not going to leave me again are you? Can we play something? Is Sesshomaru-sama going to be staying with us? Do you have candy? I love candy! I'm hungry. Are you hungry? Can we have lunch? Do you think Grandma Kaede will let me help her with her healing herbs? She said I'm pretty good you know! What…" Having expelled such a vast number of questions in one bout of breath, the now panting fox kit found himself silenced, sucking in sweet mouthfuls of precious air.

Amused at her little kit's antics, the priestess gave a lovely laugh before squeezing him to her in a tight hug. Kami, she loved him. Someday, when she had children…er, pups…of her own she could only pray they would be half as sweet as her Shippo. Finally having caught his breath, the miko watched a bit apprehensively as the child hoped onto the shoulder of the mighty western lord. Oh man…this might not end well; crossing her fingers but not daring to close her worried sapphire eyes, she listened to the new barrage of questions fired at the dog demon. "Hey! Are you my new daddy? Do you love me? Can I call you Papa? What is that fluffy thing you carry around? Do you love my Mama? I love my Mama, she's the best! Why are your ears pointy? Do you always wear the same outfit? How often do you take baths? Ew, I hate baths but Mama makes me take 'em! Do you think you could talk her out of it? Are you hungry, too? Why do you always have such a weird look on your face? I mean, you don't smile or anything!"

Reaching around the bold little kit to massage his aching temples, the western lord decided that tendencies of children were something that he would have to ease himself into. But Kami, if it wasn't going to try his nerves. Perhaps children of his own blood would be more subdued? Taking a quick down memory lane to his own childhood, he decided that it was not likely. Glancing toward his female, seeing the look of worry painted across her face, he closed his eyes for a brief second. Alright, so she thought of the pup as hers. Fine, if she truly wished to go forward in such a motherly role he would aid her. After all, it wasn't really as if he could ever get her to change her mind. Feeling completely out of his mind for taking in and agreeing to father a fox he answered slowly, "This Sesshomaru supposes he is your new 'daddy'," seeing the look of relief wash over his onna he continued in a bit more relaxed manner. Seeing that there were no others to speak against he decided he would be truthful with the child. "This Sesshomaru assumes that he could grow partial to your presence, and you may use the term 'Papa' in private settings. This 'fluffy thing' as you have so termed it, is this Sesshomaru's tail, and yes he is quite found of your mother."

Quickly realizing that this kit knew very little about being an actual demon, he decided that he would teach him as best as he could, even if he himself was not a kitsune. Eyeing the boy to see if he was picking up on the downplay of his feelings, he continued. "This Sesshomaru would like to point out that you have pointed ears as well, as you are also a demon and this is simply preferable attire. Grooming," he said pointedly, "is a very important activity and this Sesshomaru does so as often as possible. Your mother is correct to teach you such habits. No this Sesshomaru is not hungry and it is simply more beneficial for one's face to remain as such." Pretty sure he had covered all of the kit's questions, he gazed silently as the boy took a moment to consider his answers, nodded and hopped back into the arms of his mother who mouthed a silent 'thank you' to him.

It was at this moment that a certain perverted monk and moody slyer chose to walk into the clearing, quarreling between themselves all the while. Breaking away from their own world, it was Miroku who spoke to the trio first. "Well, Kagome-sama I am happy to see you have had a safe return journey, you as well Sesshomaru-sama. I trust that your trip was productive?" Not really waiting for an answer from the pair, he added on, "Lady Sango and myself were venturing towards the nearest village to retrieve some supplies of old Kaede; we will be back by nightfall. Would any of you like to join us?"

Nodding her vigorously at a chance to spend some much needed time with her four year companions, the miko eagerly glided over to them, kitsune in tow. "I'd love to. Sesshomaru, so you want to come too?" Already knowing that he would answer in the negative, she was surprised by his lenient response.

"Hm, no this Sesshomaru does not wish to join you in your outing. However, you will be permitted to go as long as the monk and slayer understand that any injury you receive will be doubly inflicted upon them. Is this Sesshomaru clear?" Hearing the soft grumbling of his mate at the insinuation of her own weakness, he watched the purple clad man gulp and nod before turning and leading the tiny group away into the underbrush. Inner beast simply livid at the thought of his gentle little mate wandering off into such a dangerous area without his protection, the inu shook his silver head and made his way to the village. No, he did not like the idea of his onna being without his protection, but for such a short journey he would trust the remains of his brother's pack.

Noting with agitation the fragrance of fear that boiled over as he strolled purposefully through the rows of make-shift huts, he mentally growled. Hm, if only they knew that he loathed being in such mortal encampments almost as much if not more so than they loathed his presence there. At last finding the elderly, one-eyed miko that he had so long wished to converse with, Sesshomaru cleared his regal throat and waited for her attention. Finally receiving a look from the old woman he watched her smile toothily at him. "Lord Sesshomaru, I expected ye would 'round soon." Standing up and gesturing over her shoulder she added, "Come inside, child," before she disappeared behind the weathered matting that served as a door, himself close behind.

Watching carefully as the ancient, one eyed miko seated her on the grass mat across from him, he mentally took stock of her. The coarse grey hairs that now crowned her head seemed to puff out at odd, frazzled angles while her traditional miko garb was slightly torn and very faded, patchwork visible from nearly a mile away. Hearing the cracking of her old bones and scraping of well worn joints as she folded her legs beneath her, the western lord momentarily pondered her age. For a demon of course, she would still be practically considered an infant; however as a mortal she seemed to have survived much. Here she was, the source of information that he had so long for. In fact, many times he had actually contemplated stealing away the elderly ningen during the darkest hours of night yet had decided against such actions. But now, he would finally be able to learn the true story behind the travels of his revolting half brother and intended mate. Why? Ironically enough he was simply curious to investigate the tidbits of tales that he had been able to gather over the years.

Normally, Sesshomaru would have said to hell with and simply thrown all thoughts of the past behind him for it truly did unnerve him to think of his beloved in such close proximity with the damnable hanyou; but this was his Kagome and he wanted, no needed to know every single thing he possibly could about her, more specifically in this instance, her past. Nodding in acknowledge meant of her presence, the youkai closed his amber orb for a moment not wanting to seem too eager or urgent in his efforts to extract the information he so longed for. Finally coming to the conclusion that he had held his silence for long enough, he let his chilling baritone vocals slice through the muggy air inside the hut. "Onna, you will inform this Sesshomaru of your knowledge of the former half breed and the miko."

Sighing as she had been quite sure this was what he wished to speak wither about, the Kaede rubbed her wrinkled hands together creating a truly unnecessary frictional heat between her palms. Much smarter than most assumed her to the village miko had been quite aware of the young lord's interest in the fair Kagome far before he had announced himself. Not seeing how it would hurt things and simply glad to have a bit of new company, she nodded. "Well young man, ye certainly could have been more polite about it but I shall tell ye what I know, mind you I have knowledge of only some of their adventures, of which they chose to sporadically inform me." Waiting until he seemed thoroughly accepting of her warnings, she continued, "I suppose it was about four years ago and several moons when Kagome first came through the well. From what I saw and the information the child has given me, she was tugged through some sort of time portal through the bone eater's well off in yonder woods." Pointing across from her in the direction she had meant to indicate she added, "I am assuming ye know the story of my sister and ye brother?"

Nodding sharply in the affirmative, the Taiyoukai drew his legs out from beneath him and propped a finely clawed hand against his knee. True, he already knew most or at least the general outline of what she had told him, but he encouraged himself to be patient until he heard her voice once more. "The girl stumbled upon Inuyasha as he was trapped to the God tree, freeing him. Some say it was purely by accident but it is most commonly said that her pure heart simply did not wish to see him suffer such an indignity as she wished to aid him. Well, young man, when ye brother did come around he easily wiped out Mistress Centipede who was little Kagome's original transportation. Mistaking her for Kikyo as he claims to have done, he tried to end her life. I however, wished to see what could become of the child that had appeared from thin air carrying the jewel of four souls within her, thus I aided her with the subjugation necklace. Soon after the jewel was broken and the two came into a grudging kinship, ye brother vowing to collect the scattered shards to become a full demon and the girl simply driven by guilt."

Baffled as to how his idiot brother could have ever mistaken the delicate Kagome for such a heartless bitch as the former shikon protector Kikyo, Sesshomaru fought to keep himself from spitting in distaste. Hm, no wonder the girl was so unaware of her worth; from the second she had come to this era she had been thought of only in comparison with another. Feeling his throat tightening as he held back an annoyed growl, he managed to transform it into a rather raspy sigh. No matter, he would be sure to make it a habit to let his tiny mate know hoe special she truly was. Ready to continue with the story he tilted his head as the narrative picked up once again. "From my knowledge some little time after that they encountered ye."

At the time, before he was even aware of the young miko's existence, his sole mission had been to find and harness his late father's most swelling source of strength, the sword that could fell one hundred demons in a single stroke. He refused to lie to himself, the moment he had laid his calculating amber eyes on the girl he found her to attractive; however, for the first few minutes of the excursion he had assumed her to be some well paid his brother was bedding. Only when she faced him fully, anger flowing from every fiber of her small human being, did he realize that she was still an innocent. Even then his beast had been rearing backwards and howling at the intoxicating scent of the female mixed with the wonderfully forcefully waves of power that she exuded. Thinking he might have very well been losing his mind to be attracted to such a wench, he had simply proceeded with his search only truly forced to recognize her presence again once they were within his father's tomb.

Honestly, it had been a shock that a mere human could even make it through such a demonically energized portal and without even a scratch at that. Recalling the uneven surface of small crunching bones beneath his leather booted feet as he faced down his lowly bastard half brother, the western lord had been more than shocked to hear the wench's encouragement, telling the pup to hit him in the ego. Even though he had indeed felt a bit better when his brother could neither budge nor touch the blade without somewhat of the same results, he had been floored as the girl he had trapped beneath a melted prison of powerful inu youkai bone stumbled through in his direction, sputtering several reprimands under her light breath. Hm, that had been the point at which she had drawn the prized sword of the former western lord. The small clink it had made had momentarily drawn his attention away from the battle he was engaged in as he maneuvered his sights around the Halfling.

And there, standing in a very slumping position, had been the girl muttering frantic apologies. Only serving to push his inu forth all the more rapidly, he had questioned her as to her origins and received the answer he had been quite aware of all along. Human, she was simply human. To this day his beast growled quite viciously at the memory of her handing the blasted blade to his brother, placing in him all of the faith the he oddly enough wished she had entrusted to him. The rest had been a blur of colors and sounds as he transformed into his demonic visage; what he did recall though was the silent gasp of pitied horror as his left appendage had been taken from him. Letting himself drop over the edge of the rocky platform they had come to venture unto, he had fallen away, all the while baffled as to her sympathy.

Memories fading quickly as he rejoined the rest of creation in the present reality, the first son on Inu no Tashio tuned himself once again to the crackling, grainy voice of the elderly priestess. "From what I know, they seemed to have gone off to east, the girl sensing a shard in that direction; that mi'lord was where they came across the little fox kit. After learning that his family had been slaughtered by the thunder brothers, Kagome with her warm heart took him in as her own. Being a fox demon, he was quite a handful for her in the beginning months." Cracking a fanged smile at the thought of his bitch with mothering a wild young pup, he nodded his agreement to the statement and listened. "Let see child, after that my earliest memory would be of the wolf prince Kouga. He'd let his pack run wild through a village on the outskirts of the eastern land slaughtering and they came upon him as such. Amazed that our Kagome could sense the jewel fragments he had planted within himself, the boy stole her away from ye brother with thoughts of forcing her to search out such treasured objects for his pack. I know not how but the wolf eventually decided upon taking the girl as his life mate; it was only after a battle of some sort and severe injury on his part that he relented in letting him escape her for several weeks."

Impatient to move away from the subject of the silly pup, the dog prince shot the woman a glare before tuning himself in yet again. "I believe that it was the monk that joined them next, found him at some village I'd guess." Chuckling in her weary voice as she thought of all the trouble the little hentai had caused throughout the village she cast a smile towards her fearsome companion, not truly meant for him but reflected nonetheless. "The last to join the group was the slayer, from what information I have been able to gather I've concluded that she was originally striking out at the whim of that filthy spider." Spitting over her shoulder as was an ancient tradition of the village to show distaste at the mention of one whom was truly loathed, the elderly priestess continued her tales, telling of each and every adventure she knew of, continuing even as darkness fell outside the crude hut.

Now, he had known that his mate was truly an amazing creature to begin with but the words of the woman before him only convinced him of such that much more. He listened patiently as she explained the girl's encounters with the dead priestess Kikyo, her acceptance of both the human and demon halves of his late half brother, how she had time and time again risked her own life for the safety of the kit, of all the friends and allies she had gathered throughout her travels and most of all how she had simply grown as a woman. Yes, his little Kagome was a woman. His woman. Having transformed greatly from the child he had first encountered, he knew that she would be by his side for the rest of existence.

Finally standing, he bid the miko a goodnight, asking her to please inform his mate that he would return during the night hours. Using the excuse of needing to sate some of his predatory energies in a hunt, he was nearly positive that the woman saw right through him. Yet, she smiled at him and promised to speak as such. Finding himself in the topmost branches of an old tree, one of the eldest in the surrounding forest, Sesshomaru leaned himself back against the coarse bark of the trees trunk and closed his eyes. Kami, she had been through so much he wasn't aware of and he had foolishly assumed that he knew all there was to know of her. Now fully convinced that he could eternity with her without knowing every absolute detail of her being he smiled to himself. Yes, he had decided that he liked it that way.

Strolling silently back into the darkened clearing some time later after a period of peaceful contemplation, the lithe western lord walked directly to the side of his sleeping mate who was currently wrapped within some odd sleeping contraption. Dropping to his knees gracefully, Sesshomaru nudged the bedding side to side, looking for a way to maneuver it around the small form of his mate; however, it seemed to be quite set on remaining wrapped snugly around the miko. Growling his frustration at being kept from his beautiful young mate, the inu abruptly shredded the frustrating device with one careful swipe of his sharpened claws. Nodding lightly once at the effectiveness of his actions, he was quick to notice that the second the cool night air began to brush against her sensitive skin her body was wracked with shivering tremors. Both instinctively and simply due to pure logic, Sesshomaru laid himself gently down, making sure not to disturb his onna before curling his warm body around her in a tight ball. Feeling the shaking lessen and eventually stop, the dog prince began to carefully run his lethal claws through the young woman's silken, raven tresses, admiring the graceful patterns in which her locks always seemed to fall; releasing a contented growl, one which sounded much more like a purr than he was willing to admit to himself, he too fell into the deep realm of dreams.

Several hours later, just as the glowing orange ball of the sun was rising, shadowing the horizon in a hazy mist, the miko from the future awoke to the familiar sound of birds twittering above her head in the tree branches. Yawning widely and stretching her neck she sighed silently, somehow during these camping ventures she was always the first to awaken. Perhaps it had to do with being the one in charge of organizing a morning meal for so many years now or maybe it was just her body's response to the different world but either way that was how it had always seemed to happen. Today being no different, the droopy-eyed priestess unthinking rolled to the side to push herself up, only to be stopped by a warm, muscular barrier. Knowing exactly to whom the restraints belonged she grinned to herself and, after a few minutes, manage to wiggle out of the protective inu lord's grip. Finally able to push herself from the ground, Kagome walked over to the large cooking pot that they had filled with water for their morning meal the night before. Shaking open a few packs of ramen she had previously left with her friends, it wasn't long before the thin noodles were swishing themselves around in the boiling water, heated by the small fire the miko had started below the kettle.

Instantly aware of the loss of his mate, Sesshomaru feigned sleep as he watched what she was up to through cracked eyes. Barely able to hold back a growl as he watched her prepare food for the sleeping imbeciles scattered around the clearing, he had to ask himself why she thought it to be her responsibility to take care of such things. Sure, his moronic brother had most likely assigned her the job but she was his now. She was above this. His mate would not be waiting on anyone except for him; still even that was only on rare occasions. Sitting upright and positioning himself in a cross-legged fashion, he was a bit surprised that she hadn't yet taken notice of his aware presence. Deciding that he had more important things to discuss with his female now, the western lord made a mental note to give the girl a talking to about always being sure her surroundings were carefully monitored. Hm, the slightest moment of ignorance could lead to a very quick, not to mention painful, death. Clearing his regal throat he spoke, "Onna, why is that you are awake at such an hour?"

Already knowing the answer, he contented himself with sitting back and watching as the girl floundered for some sort of suitable explanation. Mentally shaking his head he sighed; the girl knew him better than he thought already. Even at this moment she was aware of his grudge against her serving others and, right before his own amber eyes, was concocting some pitiful excuse. "Um, good morning Sesshomaru! I was just getting some breakfast ready for everyone. Would you like some?" Shaking his head, the lord rubbed his temples, some days he was sure that her heart would end up being her undoing and yet he couldn't bring himself to wish her any other way. Flipping his silver hair over his left shoulder and rising swiftly to his feet, he closed the distance between them until he was towering over her small form, gazing directly into her gentle, sapphire eyes.

"What this Sesshomaru would like, mate, is for you to return to your slumber. Our travels will be great today and it is most certainly not upon your shoulders to feed this bunch." Finishing with a sharp gesture around the grounds, Sesshomaru was quick to pick up on the agitation that was emitting from her fragile personage. Mostly likely due to his rather impolite, or at least not exactly proper, reference to her ragtag band of companions he was near to apologizing when he heard her speak instead.

"Hey buddy! 'This bunch' as you've decided to term them are my friends! Thy have names! Use them! Besides that, I _want_ to make some breakfast for everyone. Is that alright with you? Did you ever think it might relax me a bit?" Huffing as she turned her back to dish the softened noodles into the bowls they had used for their supper, Kagome slumped her shoulders. Okay, so maybe she shouldn't have been that defensive with him but this was about something more than just what either of them wanted. For the entire duration of her shard hunting journey she had felt useless, never truly being able to help out in any of the battles and always needing a great deal of protection; this was the way she had found to pay back at least a small part of her debt to the group. Humph, there was no way in all the hells that she was stopping just because he told her to.

Expecting to hear some angry retort from Sesshomaru, she was surprised when he simply dropped it and returned to his former seat. Although feelings of guilt for her harsh response were beginning to slowly creep into her system, she was momentarily provided with a distraction as the monk, slayer, kit and fire cat awoke and made short work of the food she had prepared. Only eating a small bit herself, Kagome found herself seated once again next to Sesshomaru who had silenced all of her attempt at apologies, simply dismissing the event as if it had never even occurred. Deciding that it would be best to shrug it off as well, the miko soon found herself once again under the attack of her adorable adopted kitsune. "Are you and Sesshomaru-sama leaving today Mama? Where are you going? You're taking me right? You wouldn't leave me would you? Do we have anymore candy?"

Gulping as one question after another was shot forth at her, Kagome sighed. Yes, she had assumed they were leaving today and by the look on Sesshomaru's face she had been correct. Of course she didn't wish to leave here kit behind….but, what of Naraku? As long as he was lurking in the shadows waiting for her was it really safe or even fair to take Shippo along with her? Meanwhile, as the western lord sensed her panic and uncertainty at the query of whether or not the kit would be returning with them, he decided that it would be best if he answered. "No, kit, you will not be returning with us this time. There are dangers that neither this Sesshomaru nor your mother wish to expose you to at this point. You have this Sesshomaru's word as a demon kit, that he will return for you as soon as all is well once again. Do you understand?"

After taking nearly half an hour to comfort the disappointed little boy, Kagome felt a tug on her elbow, letting her know that Sesshomaru was more than reading to be leaving. Sighing and saying a quick goodbye to all of her friends, the miko began walking away with the western lord slowly, all the while feeling his intense gaze on her smaller form. After about ten minutes of this torture, she finally whipped around, giving him a look that quite clearly demanded that he explain himself. Kami, if he was going to look at her like that he better damn well have a reason. After all, it was just her luck to have fallen in love with the one demon on earth who could win a staring contest with a rock. Finally hearing him she tuned herself carefully into his words. "Onna, it would be a much more efficient method of travel if you would simply let this Sesshomaru carry you."

Not suspecting her quick response as she shot, "No, I want to walk," the infamous inu nearly missed a step in his ever graceful trail. Mentally rolling his eyes, he sighed. Why was it that out of every female in the world that his happened to be the one that wished not to be carried? Yes, he truly loved her independence but some days he wished that she would simply let him care for her in the method of a normal male. Quite sure that she would eventually tire and give in to his whims, the Taiyoukai remained silent, only shrugging at her preference. However, if he had been expecting her to change her mind he found himself sadly mistaken when four good hours later she was still strolling along comfortably. Having made the entire trip in silence, Sesshomaru had had no indication of when his mate was in need of something and therefore knew not when to stop. It was only as they were passing a deep, crystal clear spring that he finally got his answer in the form of her growling stomach. Smirking down at his blushing mate, the western lord pulled her to the edge of the cool water, tossed his shirt behind him and leaned down, mind set on catching some of the silvery scaled fish that were darting beneath the water's surface.

Drawing her knees up tightly beneath her chin, Kagome tried desperately to content herself with watching the incredibly display of agility she was witnessing as the western lord shot her blurred hand down underneath the water only to have it remerge, pointed claws sunk into the tender sides of the shining fish. Yet…she was a teenage and she was still filled with mischievous urges on which she felt compelled to act and it just so happened that this, unfortunately, was one of those rare moments. She should be able to do it. What was life going to be like with this man if she couldn't even have a little fun with him? If she couldn't act goofy every now and then, what was the point? Smiling as she decided that he would just have to learn to live wither troublesome impulses, the miko hopped up from the rock and used every once of her abilities to stalk slowly up behind the distracted inu. Thinking that now was as good a time as ever, she rammed forward and gave the unsuspecting lord a good shove into the cool pool of water directly in front of him.

Startled for a moment, the lord found that he lacked the time to save himself from such a fall, yet used his lightening fast reflexes to shoot out and grab the little onna who had dared to push him. If he was going, she was sure as hell coming with him. Twisting them a bit in the air so that his body hit the water's surface first, absorbing most of the impact, he made sure to momentarily hold his breath as they submerged. Now, being a demon he had no problems seeing underwater and could go without air much longer than any ningen, yet he hadn't exactly been counting on the shock factor. Pushing the towards the surface once again, Kagome still gripped tightly within the cage of his arms, Sesshomaru shot the girl a scathing look the moment that they were once again above water. Watching as the young woman took a moment to quickly rub the water out of human eyes, the demon lord growled. "Onna there had better be an excellent reason as to why you so suddenly felt it necessary to shove this Sesshomaru into the spring."

Quite aware that his statement was actually his way of demanding an answer she decided to go the light and playful root. Sticking her tongue out she teased, "What did I catch the mighty lord off guard? Can't handle a little human female?" Kissing him lightly on the cheek to assure him that she was only playing, she suddenly pushed away from him and darted underwater, swimming quickly across the expanse of the aqueous area. Sesshomaru, who know understood that this was a game to the girl finally relented and let a smirk paint itself across his face. Being an inu, he was naturally playful and it had been so long since he had allowed that side of himself loose. Perhaps this was simply the perfect opportunity. Besides that, his blood beast was also a bit riled, growling at him to catch the female and make her submit to their will. Although it was most certainly unknown to his female, a game of chase was often involved in youkai courting. If a male caught the female it was supposedly symbolic of his right to her while if the female remained uncaught he was unworthy. Turning glimmering amber eyes toward the soaking form of his woman, Sesshomaru was quick to dunk himself under the water and propel across the spring. When upon emerging he found that she had indeed moved away from him again, he released a playful growl and continued his chase. Ongoing for nearly thirty minutes, each time resulting in his gaining the smallest bit of ground, the drenched dog demon ended the game in one final, decisive bound, pinning the girl between his toned body and a conveniently placed moist boulder.

Realizing she was trapped the exhausted miko began to laugh merrily, unaware that to the inu before her the game was only beginning. Suddenly feeling his hot mouth cover her own as he gently sucked and bit her lip, Kagome willingly opened her mouth to him, gaining a pleased growl. Sesshomaru, meanwhile, was lost in the sensations of the kiss, gently caressing the sweet cavern of his mate with long, loving strokes of his rough canine tongue. She tasted absolutely divine. There truly was no other way to describe her that would even come close to doing the girl justice. Feeling her tiny pink tongue tangle with his own, the dog demon snarled more heatedly and raised one hand, beginning to stroke her budded nipple gently through the white material that covered it. Nearly fifteen minute later, just as the western lord was feeling the need to further their game, he was suddenly interrupted by the now familiar growling sound of her empty stomach. Pulling away from her slowly, wanting to bash himself over the head for forgetting about feeding the woman, he gave the blushing priestess an apologetic look. "This Sesshomaru forgets himself, Koi. It is past time you be fed."

Dragging the sopping wet girl out of the stream with him, he was quick to notice the chattering of teeth and slight shaking of her form. How could he have forgotten!?! It was only spring, humans couldn't weather such types of things without contracting illness. Upset with himself, yet knowing that the priority was the care of his mate at the moment, he forced every ounce of her modesty aside as he stripped her over her soaking clothes and wrapped her snugly in his discarded haori. Quickly staring a fire to smoke the fish for her to feed upon, Sesshomaru was also careful to place her wet clothing near the flames in hopes that it would speed the drying process. Not at all cold himself, the dog prince contented himself with keeping a careful watching on his quickly recovering mate.

Once again able to feel her limbs, Kagome scolded herself harshly for doing such a silly thing. It was only spring! A cool spring at that and here she was hopping into springs. Embarrassed enough to keep quite, she was soon gifted with a smoked silver fish placed neatly on a large, shiny leaf. Listening carefully as her companion sat himself down by her side in his usual regal manner, the girl tried to think of something to say. However, it seemed as if an explanation was not necessary as the deep baritone voice of the western lord flowed through the surrounding area. "Koi, this Sesshomaru….apologizes…for his carelessness." Floored that he would actually think some like this mattered so much and more over that it was his fault, Kagome couldn't help but laugh, setting her leaf down as she finished her food.

"Hey, it's not your fault! It was all me. Besides, I'm fine. There isn't anything to worry about." Hoisting herself into a standing position, the miko sauntered lightly over to her still slightly damp clothing and redressed herself, blushing for the knowledge that a certain pair of amber eyes were on her every second. Tossing his haori to him again with a smile of thanks, Kagome gestured. "What do you say we get going now? I'd like to get back to your home and rest for a little bit; I'm really wiped." Giggling shyly she added, "Do you think I could get that ride now?"

Smiling genuinely at the love of his life, Sesshomaru decided that if she was going to dismiss the incident he would do so as well. Nodding to her he leaped over to her and swooped her up, cradling her in his arms as if she weighed nothing at all. "Onna, you should know better. The palace moon is not this Sesshomaru's home, it is our home and you would do well to remember such." Not really able to hold his reprimanding tone as he looked down at the grinning woman child, he focused much of his demonic energy into quickly transporting them back to the safety of the western palace. Making short of what might have been a long, tiresome journey, Sesshomaru gently place his mate down in front of the large iron gates that led to the eastern courtyard.

Stepping forward onto the white stone walkway, the inu demon suddenly froze up, grabbing his onna tightly and shoving her behind him. Something was…different. The usual stench of the human workers was absent, as well as all of the nobles that should have been awaiting their return. Gaze darting from side to side, a swift burst of familiar demonic energy caught his attention; however, before he could even think the name of such a foe, the unwelcome spider demon appeared. Noticing how the shaking hands of his female tightened around the loose fabric around his haori, the western lord, in a very gesture, wrapped his long silky tail around the girl to comfort her.

Naraku meanwhile was having the time of his life. Oh, how he loved to see such shock reflected upon the notoriously emotionless face of the inu Taiyoukai. Hm, even better was the actual face to face visage of his mate once again; even cowering before him she was beautiful. She was his. Soon, soon she would know not to fear his touch, his voice….his love. Slapping himself for not being able to keep his eyes set directly toward his goal he decided that it would be best to get this whole ordeal started. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the lord of the west. What a surprise to see you here – oh, wait, I forgot, it's not. You seem to live here." Seeing the tightening of the dog demon's jaws, the spider reveled in the aggravation he was responsible for. "Surprised to see me? Hm, I would have thought you'd have been expecting me and yet here I arrive and you're gone. No matter, I had no trouble letting myself in."

Trying his best to hold his temper in check at the mockery he sensed in the voice of the filthy half breed, Sesshomaru felt all of his muscles bunch together tightly, ready to dart into either offensive or defensive mode at a moments notice. How in all hells had the bastard gotten in? What in the world was everyone thinking letting him waltz in? Shaking his head in decision that it didn't matter at the moment, he simply glared at his rival. Just the thought of this creature's dirty hands on the lovely flesh of his mate had the hairs on his neck stand on end. Gnashing his teeth, an action that he seemed to be becoming increasingly familiar with, Sesshomaru took a small step forward, careful to push the girl backwards within the confines of his furry appendage. "Filthy half breed, you think to challenge this Sesshomaru? A being such as yourself does not deserve a female of this caliber, she is mine and mine alone. For trespassing _and_ attempting to prevent my mating, you shall die this day."

"Half breed? Yes, that I am however I'm still quite I'd be a much more adequate lover for my little one. As well my arrogant friends, it is you who shall die this day. I attempt nothing; I always get what I want. Always." The last bit seemed to have been directed more at Kagome than the lord, but to the inu it mattered not. Drawing his dark blade as the hanyou drew his own katana, amber mat crimson in a final challenge, both knowing that this would be the end of their rivalry. One would come out victor and the other not at all. Each lunging forward in his own distinct style, their blades clanged together for the first offense of the battle, a sound that just may have been the most deafening a certain miko ever heard.

A/N: Alright, there you have it. I know this chapter isn't exactly action packed but you know sometimes for the sake of plot you just have to take your time a bit. Anyway, this wasn't exactly fun writing seeing as I've been pretty darn anxious to get to some of the final scenes. The next one should be out in another two weeks. Once again, thanks for everything. Please review for me!


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Alright, here we go with the last chapter (yes, I know there was supposed to be another one but I wasn't going to stretch it all out unnecessarily)…finally! I know, I know and I'm really sorry that it took so long to get out but I wanted to make sure that this final battle scene was at least mostly like I wanted it to be. Well, anyway, thank you for your patience and all of your wonderful reviews; they truly do make a huge difference. So, without further ado, I give you chapter 29 of Without a Doubt.

(Backing up a little bit….)

How moronic could the spider actually be? Did the fool not know that the blade was his weapon? What in all of the hells had prompted such a foolish decision? Hm, however it was of no matter to him; the sooner the nuisance was exterminated the sooner he could carry on with other more _pleasurable_ activities. Unsheathing the infamous, dark sword that was known to hang solemnly at his hip, Sesshomaru traced the sharply defined edges with the tip of a razor-like claw. Oh, most assuredly blood would be spilled on this day and the merciless western lord planned on taking every necessary precaution to insure that each bite of cold, steel in the filthy half breed's putrid frame would be the absolute epitome of pain. Quite ready for the commencement of this final battle and the promised end to such a, in his view, trivial rivalry, the silver-haired dog prince lunged forward with grace to be envied by any seasoned warrior.

Crimson eyes tracing the pointed tip of his own glinting blade, Naraku allowed himself a fanged grin. How sweet vengeance truly was. Through all the murderous escapades of his past and even those yet to unfold themselves in the path of his future, the hanyou knew that this kill would be the sweetest, a rare fruit plucked from the bloody vine. Unlike many, Naraku knew the truth; and that truth was simple, death was an art. Any fool could kill but only the best could truly murder. The agonized screams, the crescendo of tearing flesh, the sweet smell of blood flowing unbidden, yes all were individual aspects of such a rewarding skill. And Sesshomaru, oh, Sesshomaru was to be his masterpiece. Dark mind filled with such thoughts even to the most vacant recesses, the hybrid spider threw himself forward against the force of his opponent. Savoring the sweet, musical sound of the metallic clang that rang through the clearing, the half demon tried mightily to force back the blade of his rival with sheer strength alone. Muscles tightly bunched and trembling from the instantaneous exertion, he was momentarily districted by the sight of his livid looking female gaping open mouthed from the sidelines. The bitch would finally be forced to realize his own more shinning credentials as a male.

Well muscled arms, built from years of wielding the familiar utensil of the blade easily held the assault of the western lord's opponent at bay, giving him a fair enough opening of time to clearly distinguish where the hanyou's gaze currently lie. Snarling menacingly at the fact that the halfling took such bold liberties, Sesshomaru gathered the strength that had been collecting at the base of his broad shoulders and shoved the sword of his opponent into a forced, circular, backwards retreat. Seeing the brief window of opportunity thrust so invitingly before him, the dog demon maneuvered his katana in an overconfident sweeping motion, resulting in the slicing of only air and the amusement of one certain arachnid.

Silently going over each possible snide remark in turn, the half breed decided that for just this once he would forego the words and let his smirk speak for him, tearing through the bastard dog's ever so inflated ego like a heated knife. Having gone the span of a few long moments without retaliation or offensive response of any kind, Naraku suddenly jerked himself to the side sloppily tossing his sword skyward, only to be stopped embarrassingly short by a rather peeved demon lord. Tightening his grip on the blade's hilt until his knuckles shown nearly as brightly at the metal point, the hybrid hanyou brought his left foot up on impulse, landing a blow squarely in the center of the regal mutt's firm chest.

Shocked at having been hit in the first place, Sesshomaru stilled for a moment but managed not to stumble. Well, that blow had certainly been unexpected…he would not make the mistake of underestimating the spider's _luck _again. For yes, that was what it was, simply luck. There was no way a being, a being that used to be a mere human at that, could ever truly measure up to his level of combat. No, it was thoroughly impossible. Throwing his upper frame forward, the western Taiyoukai began showering his rival in a barrage of continuous attacks that could only have been avoided by the most determined of men. Not needing to truly concentrate as he went through the second hand battle motions, Sesshomaru cast a quick glance in the direction of his trembling mate growling lividly as he felt the overpowering waves of distress flowing from her small body. Snapping his slightly elongated fangs at his rival while executing a very expertly timed twisting thrust in the direction of the hanyou, he finally was able to pick of the nearly inaudible sound of flesh tearing under the pressure of steel.

Looking towards his momentarily motionless opponent, Sesshomaru took a moment to assess the damage he had wrought. Hm, unfortunately it was only a barely countable scratch, several inches in length that ran in a slanted diagonal line down from the corner of the fool's crimson eye. However, the scent and sight of his competitor's blood did something to excite him as it had so often done before; it was just that this time it was different. Being a predator he was obviously usually attracted by the scent of sweet blood on the air, no matter the breed from which it flowed but this hanyou was different. Instead of enticing him into a lulled state of more passive aggression, the foul mixed fragrance made his own demonic fluids pump all the more wildly through his veins in disgust. Not truly wanting to but knowing that it was customary to do such in the case of a very serious bout of combat, the western dog licked a few small drops of dirty, black blood away from the tip of his blade, showing his opponent that he planned to show no mercy whatsoever. Oh, good Kami, he had never tasted anything so awful and had to fight with every ounce of his strength to keep himself from gagging in the middle of their newly founded battle arena.

Not phased in the least, the half breed curled his exceptionally lengthy tongue from his mouth, licking away much of his own darkened sustenance as he carefully watched the inu lord do the same. Laughing as to make light of his own frustrating predicament, Naraku quickly flicked his katana into a fighting position once again and started a pattern of awfully wide, misjudged swings. The very moment he was about to take a quick break from his aggressive offensive tirade, he saw the very edge of his own blade slice clearly across the dog demon's white silk haori, exposing his now slightly nicked flesh to a very haughty set of ruby orbs. Said orbs traveling back and forth quickly, he was pleased to see that he had at least managed to even the score a bit for now both sword tips where painted with the preserving, vital red fluid of life.

Relatively sickened by the scent of his own powerful, pure blood fusing with the aroma which reeked of foul halfling liquid, Sesshomaru was quick drop his toned body down into a crouching position, a very old distraction technique. Once he was fairly sure that he had thrown the thoughts of the hanyou off balance enough for his attack to succeed, the inu twisted his lower body around in an uncomfortable, speedy maneuver, hoping to strike his moronic rival directly across the chest and end the whole ridiculous escapade quickly.

Although he had not been born a demon or trained formally as warrior as the inu lord of the west had most certainly been, Naraku knew when something was going to happen. In fact, he had always accounted his exceptional battle instincts to make up for the fact that he was lacking in the area of customary mastery. His mental alarms began to go off left and right the moment he saw his rival lower his position. Logical mind pushing him to bring his own blade overhead in a quick, traditional counter, he was surprised and exceptionally relieved to find that he had instead twisted in a very uncomfortable position, taking the now obvious blow, coming into contact with only the flattened side of the infamous sword. Still clearly able to feel what he suspected to be the slight splintering of his ribs, the hanyou decided that if he had indeed believed in Kamis now would have been the time to be thanking them. Risking a swift glance downward, he was relieved to see that there was very little blood flowing his chest although he could already imagine the yellowish purple bruising he was going to be temporarily branded with; that was just too close a call for his liking.

Mentally ranting, Sesshomaru withdrew his blade and instantly began another shower of poorly aimed swipes. Usually, each and every one of his movements during battle was completely precise and accurately calculated, yet this was different; the damn hanyou was just too frustrating for him to focus fully on his task. Pointed, demonic ears ringing with the intolerant internal barking of his caged blood beast, the dog prince ground his pointed teeth together harshly and waited for the manufactured arachnid to make the next move. However, he was met with only momentary confusion as he watched the devilish look that flashed across his opponent's face before the raven haired hellion tossed his blade away in an unexpected gesture.

Wanting to simply shut her shinning sapphire eyes tightly and block out every possible aspect of the battle in front of her, the futuristic miko was mortified to find out that such an act seemed to be just next to physically impossible for her at the moment. Even if her rational mind was panicking and urging her to shield herself from such a disturbing visage, Kagome was quite sure that she could not. She had to know, she just had to. Feeling the familiar lurking emotion of plain uselessness creep into the corners of her mind once again, she bit her bottom lip. This was her fault. This was completely about her and yet there was nothing she could do; even if she could somehow help Sesshomaru win the battle, she was certain that he wouldn't let her. Him and his stupid demon pride. Now, though, was not the time for such thoughts. The man, or demon more over, that she loved so deeply was currently fighting for his life. It was all the battles she had seen Inuyasha fight all over again….only this time, it was worse.

Watching as his sword cut through the air gracefully, Naraku smirked as it planted itself blade down in a standing position several yards away from his current location. Now it was time for him to bring this conflict into his own realm of expertise. Subconsciously scolding himself for not simply jumping to such a form of offensive status early in the duel, the spider decided that now was not the best time to lose focus. Every ounce of available energy concentrated into forming the familiar, tangible tentacle extensions of himself that had had become so masterful with over the years, the only slightly delayed sensation of such appendages sprouting was a much welcomed feeling. Content to sit back and watch the show for the moment at hand, Naraku was once again quite pleased that his little friends seemed to have a very twisted, demented mind of their own.

Leather boots poised of the balls of slender demonic feet, Sesshomaru leapt unhesitating into the air above him, dodging and weaving his way around the seemingly countless army of slimy, discolored tentacles that were being shot aggressively in his direction. Between leaping over and ducking under the rapidly multiplying appendages, the western lord was having a most difficult time wrapping his adrenaline driven mind around any possible solution to his problem whatsoever. Natural grace failing him for a brief moment as he managed to stumble sideways the slightest bit, Sesshomaru concentrated, making his physical response secondary and bringing his train of thought boldly to the frontlines of his mind. Amber eyes flicking toward the form of his assailant, he analyzed the situation. Well, from what he was able to gather visually the things were sprouting directly from the hybrid's spine, pushing through the taught flesh of his back and emerging unbidden. Pulling forth a burst of speed, the inu positioned himself behind his opponent for a few seconds of unhindered observation to get a better look. Hm, his quick inspection had only served to reaffirm his belief in his previous thesis. Now, what he needed to do was find a way to slash that particular section of flesh, hopefully sealing away all of the troublesome appendages.

Chuckling mindlessly at the antics of the feared Taiyoukai fumbling before him, Naraku gave his direct attention to the little priestess that was currently looking on with horror. Feeling that he had more than enough extensions of himself to keep the dog demon busy, the dark spider slowly shot a pair of his outgrowths in the girl's direction. Managing to wrap one tightly around her petite waist before she even had a proper chance to flee, he gave her a promising squeeze, raising the other limb to softly caress her cheek with the slimy underside. Not all completely commanded, the spider had to chuckle at the demonic extensions fondness for the girl. Never in all his years, demon or human, had he found a female that he responded so well to. Grinning as his more instinctual, lecherous limbs began to slide up and slowly wrap themselves around the miko's pert, young breasts, he was suddenly drawn out of his brief euphoria as a certain pesky dog demon severed away his now crumbling tentacles.

Fueled by the anger the half breed's forbidden caress had managed to spark within him, Sesshomaru shot his hand towards the dark blade that had been forged several years before from the tooth of one of Naraku's own avatars. Only then did it occur to him why his beloved blade was not nearly as effective with the hanyou, his own dark aura either simply repelled the lesser one or absorbed it into its mass. Cursing himself for having been so oblivious to the matter before, the western lord let go of the well handled hilt and leapt out of the path of another swiftly moving limb. Glancing to both sides to take an inventory of his possible resources, Sesshomaru grimaced. Well, it looked like he was going to have to use one of his own natural abilities, but what would affect the hanyou most? Tightening his fisted hands in an instinctually aggravated response, the dog youkai felt the prick of his own lethal claws within his sensitive palms. Gazing downward for a moment, he realized that that was it! That was exactly what he needed to do! His toxins! There was no way the hanyou could be immune to such powerful poisons flowing through his veins!

By this time quite distracted from the conflict in front of him, the half spider demon was currently lost in his own thoughts of all of the ways in which he wished to claim the little miko before the night was through. Oh, their joining would be glorious….well, at least for him. He was well aware that he was a very rough, sadistic lover and knew it would take the gentle little creature awhile before she got used to his tendencies in bed. However, she would have to learn quickly as she was now the only female that he could ever take. His own inner demonic energies circling and pulsing as the beast within him attempted to break free, outraged at the fact that another male had the gall to even think he could be separated from his intended female.

Leaping over the raven haired arachnid in an exceptionally risky maneuver, Sesshomaru let his birth poisons come to the tips of his claws and slashed the glowing razors over the vulnerable spine of the enemy. Stepping back for a moment to take a look at the fruits of his labor, he heard a very distinct hissing sound coming from the tightly shut mouth of the hanyou before him. Amber eyes smoldering with a certain satisfaction as he watched the material of the other male's deep purple haori singe away and turn into dust, he actually let a small smile cross his face at the burn like scarring pattern that was quickly decorating the pale flesh. True, he was well aware that such a liberal dose would serve only to keep the things from emerging and not have the capability of spreading fatally while so occupied, but it suited his momentary purposes nonetheless.

White hot pain blinding him momentarily, Naraku violently threw his head from side to side to distract himself from the sizzling mass that had once been the smooth, flawless skin of his. Not helping the matter in the least, his sensitive nose was picking up the unmistakable fumes of fried skin. Fast realizing that he would no longer be able to use his favored tentacles as a form of offense or even defense, the more than slightly panicked hanyou managed, with a great deal of intense effort accompanied by immeasurable pain, to produce one last slinking limb that covered no more than five feet before it too disintegrated in a mass of gray ash. Aware that the toxins that had been forced into his system by the stubborn mutt were not nearly enough to cause him any serious harm as long as they were occupied, the hybrid growled. Yes, as much as he loathed the damnable inu, he had to give him credit; the dog had the mind of a villain. In fact, there had even been a time at which he wished to join forces with the notable western lord. That however, failed miserably seeing as the youkai noble was far too much of an independent thinker. Hm, no, he liked his minions much more mindless and willing than he could ever hope to find the demon before him.

Quickly glancing toward the miko, he let out a frustrated, primal snarl at the look of relief that had plastered itself across her face the moment the dog had gotten the upper hand in their feud. Why did she adore the silver haired icicle so? Was it for his title? Was that why she turned him away, to be with a demon that held a high rank in society? Did she not know that he was to soon become the sole ruler of all Japan with her acting as his queen? No, that could simply not be it. The little miko cared far too little for titles and such for her decision to be based off of one. Actually, it was the fact that she had been able to accept and even love a lowly hanyou that had given him hope as to her future feelings for him. If she could so adore the worthless half breed mutt then she could obviously feel such an emotion for him, right? Snarling at his own full circle thoughts, Naraku snapped his teeth agitatedly and sent the dog prince a death glare. Oh, he may have held the little miko's heart now but he was quite sure that he would not be much competition as a dead man.

Livid with the realization that the blasted half breed's last attempt to bait him could have easily ended in pain for his chosen female, Sesshomaru bared his flashing fangs menacingly. Able to feel his blood beast ramming away at the front of his mind, he fought within himself for a moment in an attempt to keep a hold on his rational mind. Never liking to take a back seat to his vastly more instinctual counterpart, the western lord squinted his pink tinted amber eyes in a last ditch effort. _'Mine. Mine. Mine. Hurt our mate. Challenge claim. Mine. Mine. Ours! Ours! Kill, slaughter, KILL!' _Head spinning and vision beginning to narrow as he felt himself grasping desperately at the last strands of rationality that he was so closing clinging to slip away, Sesshomaru finally lost himself to his more feral persona.

Taking complete advantage of the inu's momentary state of shocked disbelief, Naraku leapt towards the miko in one effortless bound, having in mind to play with her a bit. Standing stock still for a brief moment and staring at the girl, he inhaled her delicious scent and flashed a deadly fanged smile. Snatching her wrists together in one large, callused hand and slithering the other around her petite waist, he leaned forward and smiled against the soft, heated flesh of her neck. "Mmm, did you miss me little one?" Turning toward the still oblivious lord he chuckled, "It would seem your little guard dog is a bit preoccupied at the moment." Lifting his head and staring directly into the young woman's worried orbs he continued, "You know pet, I may consider sparing him if you promise yourself to me now." Waiting for her answer, he took the time for a mental laugh at what he found to a very humorous joke. Let the dog go? Ha, never. He had seen far too much of his mate and caused far too much trouble to simply be let go.

Cringing away from the touch of Naraku, Kagome flinched at his words before shooting a quick glance in the direction of Sesshomaru. Things weren't looking good. Sure there had been a moment there were she had been totally convinced that her future mate was going to come out victorious, but now judging from the half breed's crackling, black energies she wasn't so sure. Even if he did win he would be badly inured…could she really let Sesshomaru but himself through such pain for her? Was it even worth his suffering? Perhaps if she just gave in now, she shuddered visibly at the thought, he could go back to his life as it was before she became such a burden. Feeling fresh tears prick at the corners of her eyes, she was about to give him a response when she was shortly cut off by a very angry inu demon. Never was she sure, but whether the following toned growls were wordless or held meaning she would never know, all she knew was that he was once again changing.

Finally having come out of his momentary stupor, the Taiyoukai of the west was immediately greeted with the sight of another male, a vile spider hanyou no less, clutching his mate. Blood actually scorching his being, Sesshomaru didn't care anymore. His female was being touched by another male after all he had done to secure her. He had fought off a wolf, a court full of disgusting males and even a member of his own damn pack. No. This was too much. This was it. Letting his inner beast surge forward without restraint, Sesshomaru closed his now glowing crimson eyes as he felt his face begin to lengthen and his back hunch. Snarling as he felt himself shoot up above the ground at a new immeasurable height and his arms drop forward into a second set of supports, the lord of the west watched from inside his own mind as he stood immense, intimidating, feral…as his true self.

Dragging up huge hunks of earth between his massive claws, Sesshomaru allowed his acidic slobber to fall before him, immediately transforming the once springy, green grasses into several blackened crevices. Tongue lolling over the corner of his fanged jaws, he let out an angry bark letting every creature within radius know to flee. Taking a slight step forward as that was all that was needed to cover the now meager distance between the offending male and his bitch, the regal white inu swatted the dark hanyou away with one stroke of his massive paws, all the while cautious not to harm his mate in any way. Satisfied that his rival would be out of commission for at least several moments, the western lord turned his paw to the side and very carefully drug his mate into the protective fortress of his under torso.

Squeaking at the sudden, unwilling motion Kagome soon was able to breathe one again as she found herself placed carefully behind the right paw of the giant inu lord, almost as if he was hiding her away from the crimson eyes of his opponent. Burying he tear stained face into the silken white fur that shot out wildly around the base of his pillar like leg the miko lost herself for a moment. Warmth…comforting warmth…the sensations provided by her new sanctuary were enough to momentarily draw her buzzing mind away from the dangers directly before her and push her into a more relaxed state. It was only the gentle nudging of what she soon discovered be a wet, cold nose probing her sides that drug her ever so violently back into the moment, reminding her suddenly of reality.

Sniffing insistently at his small female, the primal Sesshomaru came to the conclusion that no bodily harm had come to her. Satisfied for the moment he concentrated on the other emotions radiating from her, the foremost of which were fear and worry. Giving her a warm, instinctive lick of his tongue which was nearly ten times her size he finally turned his blood hued eyes back to the battle in front of him. Snarling a warning as the hanyou, who seemed no worse for the wear, approached him once again he took a quick glance to make sure the girl was sheltered. Exquisite hearing up to par as always, the noble dog prince growled heatedly at the words that came to him. "Well Sesshomaru, you seem to be more of a guard dog than I thought. No matter though, she will not be yours to guard for long."

The half breed spider, having been severely angered yet uninjured by the meddling lord's interruption, watched amusedly as rage painted itself across the now expressive mug of his rival. Oh, this was truly too simple; Sesshomaru was always such an easy one to get riled. Unable to see his future mate, the half demon unthinkingly released his miasma in hopes of panicking the overgrown pup that had the audacity to challenge him. Realizing his mistake only moments later, seeing the seething glare of the dog and watching his mate be gently lifted hundreds of feet above the ground as the back of her blouse was hooked unto the lethal fangs of the lord. Damn it to all hells! He had forgotten she did not yet bare his mark and thus did not have any immunity to his gaseous toxins. Knuckles white and palms bleeding as the sharp tips of his claws punctured the soft flesh, he growled. So much for that idea; being more dense than the actual air surrounding it his poisons could only reach a few hundred feet before leveling off and well, a few hundred feet had turned out to be just below the shoulders of the gigantic dog.

Wanting to howl in outrage at the danger his female was being exposed to yet mouth currently serving as lift, the instinct driven dog demon settled for a deep rumbling growl, powerful enough to cause slight tremors in the ground beneath his four padded paws. His female could have been hurt, killed even. Raising his upper lip in a promising display, the silver beast swung his massive paw to and fro to clear the billowing purple essence from the air. Thanks to his aid the toxic mist was cleared from the area in moments; once he was totally sure that it was safe, he slowly leaned his long neck down and gently placed his mate to the side, shooting her a look letting her know she was to stay put. Finally able to face his foe unhindered, Sesshomaru pushed himself onto his back legs in an instinctual show of his dominance and gnashed his teeth. Upon falling back to the ground he set his gaze directly on the foul excuse for a half demon.

Actually having to hold back a shudder of what he refused to acknowledge to be fear, Naraku concentrated fully upon gathering his dark energies around his comparatively tiny personage. The second he could feel the black tendrils whipping past his face, the hanyou narrowed his gaze. He had, somewhat foolishly, not planned on the miserable mutt transforming. Hm, what was he to do now? Larger than him and obviously possessing more physical strength, he now tried to focus upon what would have weakened. Urging himself, pressing desperately that his mind function quicker he was suddenly still. Quicker…that was it. The dog was now larger, meaning his agility would have been greatly decreased; all he had to do was wear the dog down enough so that he could use his own aura to push his tired opponent down to his humanoid form. Like he had said before, he smirked to himself; there were moments when he was just too brilliant.

Shivering slightly as he felt the now gigantic crimson eyes bore into his torso obviously laced with malicious intent, the half demon spider inhaled calmly before darting between the legs of the massive mutt. Using every ounce of speed that he had gained from his minor rebirth several days prior, the hanyou wove tight, twisting circles around the four prancing paws of the shaggy silver dog. Smirking knowingly as the formerly still pillars began to rise and fall around him, he expanded his circles into a much wider pattern, actually leading the western born heir on a small, swerving chase. Soon realizing that the distance he had covered was a mere set of steps of the snarling beast, Naraku knew that he would have to think of something else seeing as he seemed to be wearing himself down quicker than he was filing away at his rival.

Feeling his large, rough tongue loll out and slip between his pearly white fangs and heated pink gums, Sesshomaru panted. Even if this was his true form it was still an effort to maneuver himself now that he was so out of practice. Although the exhaustion wasn't at all acknowledged by his primal persona, the logical lord locked away in the far recesses of his mind knew all too well the disasters that could come from their excessive energy loss. Besides giving the foul spider a hand up in their rapidly intensifying present excursion, it would also leave a far lesser portion of his senses open to devote to the protection of his female. Choosing to ignore the goading of the dark half demon, Sesshomaru brought himself to an abrupt halt. A momentary feeling of satisfaction rushing through him at the sight of the hanyou scrambling miserably away from the flying gobs of his acidic saliva, the dog prince focused his gaze in an attempt to perfect his aim for the final blow he was planning. All he had to do was crush the disgusting little maggot beneath his paw and then the threat to his chosen mate would desist.

Gathering most of his darkened ki in a newly formed attack that had simply been added to his roster after his regeneration, Naraku concentrated all of his energies on exerting his aura in a great suffocating wave. Aiming an extensively powerful stream of black energy toward the heart of the beast, the conscienceless hybrid flashed a fanged smirk as he saw the instinctual reaction he had been so counting on occur. The flash of reflected surprise in the large, blood hued pools only made the minor victory all that more sweet. So, the dog had thought him to be a pushover opponent? Well the fool would soon learn that he always played his aces last.

Instinctively shrinking, once again leaving the physical control to the more rational of the two, the feral side of the western lord shrunk back only slightly. Not having wished to retreat but knowing that he would have served no purpose dead, he had released himself from his true form as to not take such a clashing blast in the center of his exposed chest. Feeling his humanoid form once again adhere to solid flesh, the lord's inner demon once again resumed control of his body; one look at the hanyou telling him that such a reversal transformation had been exactly his plan all along, the hunched Taiyoukai bared his considerably lengthened fangs and let the glowing green toxins spill from the pointed tips of his claws. More than ready to pounce on the mongrel, the instinctually driven creature was suddenly drawn out of his hateful revere by the ever heightening sobbing sounds of his precious female.

Silent tears swiftly turning into uncontrollable, shaking sobs that seemed to wrack her entire body, the miko let out a shaky breath as she realized her enemy's energy blast had failed to hit the demon she so adored. Silently screaming to every Kami she had ever heard mentioned even in the slightest, Kagome begged with all of her might for whatever higher power there was to take her instead of him. This was her fault. Once again someone was in trouble because of her and her stupid weakness. How could he even want to be with her when she was so awful? Was it just her fate to have every single person she ever came to feel so deeply for ripped away from her? Had she done something wrong? What was it? Why did this always happen?

Feeling a stab of pain in his once non-existent heart every time a salty tear fell from the little priestess's puffy eyes, Naraku managed to turn all of his sorrow into blindly directed rage. How dare she cry tears that were not for him? Did she not realize that each drop was a damn proclamation of her unfaithfulness to him? Why must she always be so contrary to his wishes? Cracking his knuckles is a habitual reaction to his ire; the spider shook his head, trying to focus all of his attention on the battle before him. There was no need to worry he told himself, soon the girl would be his and his alone; he could keep her locked away from the prying eyes of the world for her beauty was for his sole enjoyment. Of course there would be objections at first on her part but she would learn to live with it, maybe if she was a good little bitch he would even allow her out into the gardens every now and then. Yes, he would soon have his mate, all that was left now was the matter of taking out a certain inu youkai.

Materializing his energy whip between two of his sharpened claws, Sesshomaru smirked. Oh, he still had a few tricks up his sleeve for the unsuspecting half witted spider. Flicking his wrist in a manner which served to snap the glowing neon energy extension with a loud resounding crack, the western lord started in on the hanyou before him. Pivoting in a swift circular motion on one foot, he started his now very familiar yet still oddly enchanting attack. Inching himself closer to his victim between his continuous turns, the dog prince was suddenly very stunned to feel the hand of the spider close around the usually fatally burning end of his weapon.

Feeding off his opponent's energy with his own newly founded abilities, a first time experience for him that seemed to make him positively giddy, Naraku simply sucked away at the brilliantly glowing power source until it had completely diminished into nothing at all. With his newly invigorated limbs, the spider used the fearsome dog demon's very own energies against him, sweeping his feet abruptly out from under him with a falsely positioned move and leaping onto his chest, pinning him completely to the ground in the process. Making sure there was no possible way the inu youkai below him could escape, the spider was content to sit back and watch as he held the infamous lord Sesshomaru at his mercy, the noble's own aura turned against him.

Knowing he was trapped, resigning himself to the fact that not even his usually ever so sharp mind could fathom a plan to release him from such a situation Sesshomaru experienced that which he had only ever heard of. So often he had heard tell of the epiphany one is said to have before death and he, ever the cynic had only rolled his golden eyes at the talk only to find that he was now experiencing such a moment of his very own. Well, it was not exactly a Kami sent life changing realization as so many had claimed it would be but more of a self admittance and acknowledgement. Before him flashed visions of each special moment he had shared with the onna of his dreams, his Kagome. From the moment he had seen her in the field for the first time, pointing an accusing finger at his young half brother as she back sassed the young pup to the swim they had shared only hours ago.

He thought of all the nights he had sat perched in the highest limbs of forest foliage observing her every movement, of the way he had at first puzzled over her acceptance of all races, of the first moment in which he had allowed himself to lay claim in his own mind. He thought of first retrieving her from the woods and her plea to spare his clumsy sibling, of all the jealousy he had felt as she gave the mutt such tender looks and the first time he had held her within his arms as they flew back to the palace moon. He thought of lying sprawled across the pillows with her, visiting the wolf and providing her with his mother's collar, of his semi-patient explanation of demon culture. He thought of the many violent outbursts he had fallen victim to and all of the physical abuse he had put his sweet miko through, of each tender kiss and caress they had shared and of her running away. He thought of his brother's death and his own jealousy, of all that he had seen in her time and all that he had learned. And finally, he thought of his love for her.

True, he had told himself that he loved her before but until this moment he seemed to have only delved halfway into the meaning of the word. He didn't simply love her looks, personality, demeanors or cute antics, no he loved _her_. And now, now, he saw the difference. It was the way she had melted his frozen heart, breaking through all of the barriers he had spent so many decades constructing within a single moment. It was how she could calm him with a single touch or how she could amuse him without a word. It was the contentment he felt with her and the smiles she gave him for the simplest things. She had changed him; even if it was not to the public eye, she had changed his soul in a desperately irreversible manner. For the rest of the world he would always be the heartless icicle they fabled him as, but to her he would show a side of him that the rest of the world would never know. He had a heart. Who would have known?

Casting his gaze towards the vile being situated above him, he nearly gagged on the large swell of bile that had risen so abruptly in his regal throat. This man, this demon, this…. creature did not deserve a treasure such as his Kagome. His onna was like a flower, bringing warmth and happiness to all those around and ever so resilient. Yet, like all flowers she could be so easily crushed and that is what this dark entity would do to her. Her spirit, the thing that made her so beautiful to him and the rest of the world would soon be shattered into a million tiny pieces never to be reconstructed again. These past weeks he himself had spent sewing her heart back together only to tear it to shreds once again with his gruff nature. And he was sorry, very truly sorry.

Swiveling his large, callused hand backwards over the exposed flushing skin of his taught shoulder, Naraku wrapped his long fingers around the cool metal hilt of the sword he had been previously wielding. Quite pleased that it had chosen to fall at such a convenient location, the spider gave it a light yank before raising it to his direct eye level to inspect the glimmering steel. Wavy, light induced patterns bounding off on the singed remains of the grass beneath him, he suddenly scowled evilly at thing and hurled it away once more. No, killing the almost invincible lord of the west with an ordinary blade wouldn't be half as sweet as ripping the interfering mutt's flesh away with his own claws. Already practically able to feel the warm ooze of the dog's life blood pushing against and coating his palm the hanyou flashed yet another of his vicious grins. Glaring down at the silver-haired entity beneath him, Naraku released a throaty yet still incredibly haughty chuckle before leaning over the dog prince and sneering. "Sesshomaru – _sama_, I must say, I am a bit disappointed in you. The lord of the western lands at the mercy of such a brazen hanyou? Hm, sometimes fate is cruel is it not?" Raising one hand only a few inches to gesture in the direction of the teary-eyed miko, he nodded and continued. "But fear not my friend; I'll take good care of the girl." Having not yet received the desired response of outrage from his captive, Naraku continued to push forward. "She was never for you, dog. The woman has always been mine and was born to be as such. Perhaps if you hadn't chosen to interfere with the destiny that was so carefully laid out before her, you might have lived to see another season."

Griping the Taiyoukai's smooth throat with one hand while the other was drawn back into the air lazily, he turned his gaze toward the tiny priestess. Now speaking more for her than anyone else he pressed, "And you Koi, had you truly thought that you could escape _me_? Escape _this_? Escape _us_? And for what, this mutt? Come now little one, how did you expect your little adventure to end? Was he to be your hero and save you from vicious half breed you so loathe? Was that it? Well, my dear miko, I am sorry to inform you that whatever childish fantasies your adolescent mind may have conjured for your future have been rendered worthless." Tossing his hair over his shoulder and throwing a quick sneer to his captive, he chortled. "Oh, never fear love. It won't be so bad so long as you do as you're told. Of course, you were never very good at that were you?"

Swirling, emotion filled orbs glaring upwards distastefully at the filth situated above him Sesshomaru couldn't exactly grasp what he was feeling. The first emotion to flood his soul was rage, pure and simple. How dare this beast make such atrociously false claims, leaving them to flood the ears of his innocent onna? In what fashion of mind did the disgusting spider figure the miko to be his? No. No. No, the woman child was _his_. Claws digging vengefully into the ground, a poor substitution of the flesh of his rival, the lord could scent the burning aroma of his toxins injecting themselves into the soil underneath and around him. Snarling and snapping his teeth he, oddly enough, soon quieted into a state of calm as realization began to hang over him like an evening mist. He was a warrior and he would die a warrior's death with silent honor. There would be no rage clouding his features as he left the realm of the living and was borne on high to the palatial home of the heavens. No, for if he was to die he would rather it be in the act of protecting his female than in any other way. The ultimate gift any mate could give for their chosen companion was their life and this he was willing to do.

Although he had never truly thought it would come to such a thing or even imagined himself being so accepting in a situation such as this, the inu youkai found consolation in the fact that he had done everything in his power to keep his mate safe. However, moving right along on his swift emotional journey, he was quick to realize that for the first time in his life his best efforts did not seem to be quite substantial enough and though he had made peace with his own demise, he could not find the same reassurance in the knowledge that his absence would leave Kagome in the hands of the smirking arachnid. Training his senses solely onto the young human female he was so taken with, Sesshomaru felt his former resignation to death fade away as wave after powerful wave of his mate's distress washed over him. Mind once again turning in what seemed to be a hopeless effort to come up with some form of plan, the western inu quickly gazed over his surroundings only to come to a most interesting discovery.

Hanging ominously above his raven haired aggressor was the darkest, most hellish aura he had ever seen. Billowing around the creature in thick, almost tangible black clouds hung the swirling essence that represented the half breed's life energy overpowering each and every thing in its direct radius with one odd exception. Toward the lower corner of the bleak mist was an equally pulsating, lively white light almost blinding in its brilliance, sparking and snapping loudly against its opposite energy composite. Curiously looking downward for the source of such an energy, Sesshomaru was more than a bit surprised when his eyes fell upon his father's ancient healing fang that had for so long rested at his hip. Strangely enough for a demonic object, the blade's surrounding force was completely pure and shone with innocence, creating a virtual epitome of opposing forces. Instantly feeling the odd pulsing sensation that the sword had always seemed to use to direct its will, Sesshomaru slipped his hand over the anciently wrapped hilt making an effort to draw as little attention to the action as possible. The exact second his clawed hand was fully situated over the hilt of the family heirloom, a very stunned dog demon began to feel jolts of energy fighting ferociously to unsheathe the rusted fang and slip it brutally into the half demon. Perhaps…perhaps this had been the purpose of the blade all along? Such a selflessly and purely intended blade, maybe there had been a reason he had not received the killing fang after all. Could such a contrasted artifact really be used against his current foe?

Filled with a completely indescribable rush of glee and triumph, the invigorated half breed looked down into the eyes of his rival for what truly was to be the last time. Finally, finally things were falling into their correct order; maybe, he thought, maybe for the first time in his life these supposed Kamis had cast their usually neglectful favor upon him. Needing to drag his moment of glory out just a tad bit longer, the spider demon looked toward the futuristic priestess and cracked the clenched his raised fist, as if exercising the lethal fingers that were soon to end the life of her beloved dog demon.

Seeing his literal last chance to make a move while his opponent was taunting his onna, Sesshomaru drew the dull, ageless blade out of its sheath in an intense blurred motion before slamming it forward, running the stunned hanyou through completely. Hoping against all hope that his assumption as the outcome of such an action was correct, the western lord watched with bated breath for a long moment. After a stretch of time that seemed to border on forever without any real affect, he was just about to let himself fall once again into the abyss of despair when the solid body above him began to quake furiously. Seeing the half breed's darkening hands clutch themselves desperately unto his oddly trembling chest, Sesshomaru took advantage of the time he was given and rolled himself quickly out from under his former prison.

Not understanding the finality and gravitation of the events that had just occurred, all the horribly surprised half demon could do was grab frantically at his disappearing figure. One moment he had been holding himself in the highest esteem, ready to finally vanquish his most formidable foe, when such a pain as he had never known seemed to have thrust itself upon him. Petrified crimson eyes forced down to an old, rusted blade had been jabbed roughly through his muscled stomach; he let out an extremely effeminate shriek of horror at the sight before him. Emanating from the blade was a flashing white light that with each spontaneous beam tore away at his own darkly formatted personage. Feeling as if he was being burned from the inside out, the half breed could only watch in horror as more and more tiny beams of purified light began to pierce his chest until it was nearly nonexistent. Final thoughts unable to even enter the decimated sanctum of his mind, his felt his last vestiges of stability fail him as he shattered into a million shards of woven souls. As the light wind swept away the ashes of the evil entity, it was quite clear that the hanyou had come to his unarguable demise, never to make his presence in this realm or any other known again.

Seeing the last traces of his rival blown away by the ever present western winds, the completely exhausted dog youkai used the last of his energies to spring towards his mate in one, long, well-calculated leap. Snatching the girl desperately to his shaky, rumbling chest, Sesshomaru felt his knees weaken and the pair of them tumbling to the soft ground. Even in such a state remembering to take the brunt of the fall, the inu demon burrowed his nose into the silky, raven locks of his mate, taking in her sweet scent as he felt her sob harshly against him. Raising the volume of his growl in a least attempt to calm his onna, Sesshomaru let loose a quick, ear-splitting howl of triumph. The hanyou was gone. The last rival for his mate had been vanquished. She was his now. All his. These thoughts and these alone running through the head of the western lord, both the infamous inu and his tiny miko mate fell into the comforting world of dreams.

The first to stir, as par usual, Sesshomaru opened his only slightly dulled amber eyes and let out a highly undignified yawn. Quite aware that the impending threat to himself and more importantly his mate had now passed, the inu demon leaned closer to his onna. Brushing the smooth skin of her neck with the side of his pointed nose as he sniffed lightly at her, it did not take long before the conclusion was drawn as to her well being. Aside from having a nervous fit and dealing with the exhaustion that usually accompanies such, his little miko seemed to be in good health. Pulling himself to a standing position on his yet aching limbs, he bent over at the waist and scooped the woman child into his arms before setting out at a brisk trot towards his private hot springs.

Growing ever more aware of the slight, nearly unnoticeable jolting of what seemed to be another's steps, Kagome cracked open one sapphire eyes just a sliver and realized that she was set tightly within a pair of muscular arms. Whipping her head about snappishly, expectant eyes that had thought themselves forced to take in the countenance of Naraku, widened as she was directly faced with the features of her silver haired savior. Throwing her thin arms around his neck, the priestess burrowed her face into the crook of his strong neck and let her tears fall. Convulsions twisting through her being as she clung to the demon of her dreams, Kagome found that she could not mouth any words to bring awareness to the fact of how happy she was to see him alive and well. However, a quick downward glance from the ever stoic western heir let her know, simply from his shinning golden eyes, that he knew exactly the emotions that were running through her at this moment.

Kicking the door to the steamy springs open with one rough, leather-booted foot, the Taiyoukai gently placed his mate onto her own two feet before slamming the door shut abruptly behind them and sliding his blood stained white, silken haori over her mussed crown of silver strands. Gesturing for the girl to do the same with her own clothing as he worked out the know in the hakamas before tossing them too aside, Sesshomaru took one long stride towards his mate and tore away every shred of her remaining clothing with his lethal claws. Shaking his head at her squeak of awkward modesty, he gathered her smaller form to him, bent his legs and took one powerful leap into the nearly boiling water below them, submerging them both completely.

Not exactly ready for such an action and having no prior warning whatsoever, a very panicked Kagome found herself sputtering lungfuls of water away as they once again broke through the surface of the water. Tossing his a disgruntled glare yet still feeling no need to break the companionable silence that had fallen between them, she fell into a short routine behind him as they both quickly scrubbed themselves clean and washed away all signs of the former battle. The very second she was about to relax and let the water soothe her slightly aching joints, the miko found herself being hoisted out of the pool by a still very nude Sesshomaru who dashed to the western chambers in a blur of speed.

Setting her down once again, now feeling slightly refreshed from his brief cleansing period, Sesshomaru once again gave a wide motion, meaning for her to dress. Watching with approving eyes as she opened her own wooden wardrobe and pulled out a very plain, white kimono dress fashioned from the finest silk, he drug forth his own normal garb and hopped into it quickly. Not at all uncomfortable with the silence that seemed to have befallen them, he offered the girl his arm and led her directly down to kitchens to prepare some form of food, seeing as all of his servants seemed to have gone missing with the arrival of the vile hanyou. Entering the giant stone haven in which so many of his workers spent the majority of their lives, the silver inu reached across a wooden counter and snatched a bowl of rip looking fruits before beginning to section one with his pointed claw. Hearing the merry chuckling of his female at what he supposed was his awkward actions, he scowled up at her. "Something you would care to share, onna?"

Choking back her own laughter as she pictured one of those never ending infomercials from her own time trying sell a handy-dandy Sesshomaru sectioning tool, she shook her head in the negative and reached out to take the dripping fruit that was being offered to her. After practically inhaling the offering plus half of another that had been given to her she raised a questioning eye towards Sesshomaru. Almost as if he had known exactly what she had planned to say he shook his head, "This Sesshomaru is not a mortal and therefore does not need such constant sustenance." Now feeling a bit sheepishly plump, she was surprised as she turned to find the lord of the west directly in her line of vision.

No longer able to reign in his instinctual response as the danger to his mating practices had now passed, Sesshomaru had now become very hard pressed not to jump the small girl that was sitting beside him. It had been too long, his inu had waited far too long and through far too much to pass up this golden opportunity t finally claim her as their own….but, still, he had to be sure not to frighten the highly inexperienced girl. Fighting the urge to simply pin her down and pound into her relentlessly, Sesshomaru made a quick grab for both of the girl's wrists and made sure her complete attention was directed toward him before speaking softly and quickly. "Mate, this Sesshomaru is finding it difficult to not take you fully at present. If you wish-"

Cutting him off with a sudden, unexpected kiss the miko reminded herself to breathe. This was what she wanted. This what he wanted. This was what they wanted and it was going to happen sooner or later, so why not make it sooner before there were any more interruptions? Feeling him instantly respond to her with great vigor, she pulled away for a moment to whisper softly, "This is what I wish. I want this." Words not having left her lips but a mere second ago, Kagome soon found herself swept once again into the strong arms of the western inu lord as he sped upwards toward their rooms in the western wing.

Finally reaching the heavy, wooden doors that led to his chambers the Taiyoukai repositioned his clawed hand carefully as to be sure he wouldn't graze his mate's sensitive skin. Using only a very minute fraction of his strength he gave the crease of the doors a sharp blow, parting them enough so that he could slip through them before once again smashing them shut and tossing the rusted metallic lock into place. After erecting a barrier of his own demonic energies, the western lord turned his burning amber gaze to the nervous sapphire orbs before him. Wrapping his other arm securely around her form once again, he paced forward to his silk laden futon. On this night he would finally claim his mate, claim his mate fully and without interruption.

Feeling the muscles surrounding her lithe form tense for a moment, the miko from the future let out a startled yelp as she felt herself being dropped onto the mattress underneath her. Wondering how such a terse action could be executed with such utter care, she tilted her feminine chin upwards, sending an affectionate gaze to the demon above her. It was incredible really, only days earlier she would have stuck adamantly to her former conclusion that Sesshomaru, great and powerful lord of the western lands, was nearly entirely incapable of love. The nearly had been present due to her own faith in his underlying humanity and his display of, if not exactly affection, fatherly concern towards the small girl he had taken as a ward.

Still not truly understanding why his chest constricted and mouth went dry at the slightest of smiles from this girl Sesshomaru simply returned the warm gesture in his own, nearly unnoticeable way. Able to feel his demonic counterpart surging forth within his chest, ramming itself forcefully against the cage created by his royal rib bones in hopes of escape, he dropped to his knees so that he was straddling his mate in the center of their bed. The closeness momentarily calming his raging ki, the feared lord leaned forward propping himself on his forearms and gently rubbed his nose against that of the miko in a very canine display of affection. Pleased that she seemed to understand and even returned the gesture, he let the beginnings of a contented purr slip from his throat in a continuous stream.

Smile never leaving her lips, Kagome raised her head slightly brushing the demon's thin, dry lips with her own moist plump pair. Able to catch his quick fanged smirk at her seemingly impatient nudging, she watched his rough tongue quickly wet his lips with great interest before she was lost in the sensation of their locked mouths. Kiss swiftly escalating from chaste to passionate, the priestess could feel his rough, pink appendage licking insistently at the corner or her mouth, stopping every so often to nip at her bottom lip or nudge her lovingly. Feeling the need to open herself to him, Kagome slowly parted her lips, welcoming the entrance of the infamous dog demon's tongue.

Tilting his silver head at an angle as to completely cover his female's mouth with his own, Sesshomaru pushed his hot tongue gently yet commandingly against that of the girl beneath him. Golden eyes closed as he relaxed himself into the sensations of four play he was sure to trace each of her teeth and each inch of her mouth, memorizing her completely. Exceedingly pleased when she began to mimic his actions, he was unprepared for the sudden pleasurable sensation of her small lips gently sucking his tongue. Reluctantly pulling away as he felt his instinctual urge for dominance swell within him, he was quick to force their battle back into the miko's mouth before pinning her oral muscle with his own. When he grew bored of her mouth, he slowly began to trace a long wet trail of open mouthed kisses along her exposed jaw running to her throat and to the delicate bones of her shoulders. He was quite aware that sooner or later his primal self would emerge, leaving him to second hand sensations , and thus he intended to fill every minute of direct contact with his mate with sensual ministrations.

Hearing the murmured command for her to sit up a bit, Kagome was startled to feel her traditional kimono being slipped over her raven tresses and tossed carelessly onto in a pile on the cold stone ground. Seeing as she had completely run out of undergarments and was attempting to adapt herself to the era she now was to permanently reside in, the miko found herself to be fully nude under the intense inspection of the lord Sesshomaru. Feeling a heated flush rise and paint itself nicely from her pink cheeks to her rosy breasts, she was quick to turn her head away. It was only the whispered declaration of, "Beautiful," that sounded above her that served to redirect her gaze. Surprised to see the sincerity and adoration so visibly present behind his molten eyes, Kagome felt her blush heat to nearly an unbearable level.

Taking time to soak in that which he finally had found time to appreciate, the western lord simply couldn't help himself as he lowered his fanged mouth to the woman child's left breast, drawing slow circles around its budded tip with the thin end of his tongue. Not at all surprised at the wonderful taste, he found himself questioning if his mate had perhaps been soaked in the nectar of the divine, for how else would one acquire such a magnificent flavoring? Giving the whimpers and whines of his squirming female little thought at the moment, he opened a heated, fanged mouth and took the tip of the girl's breast fully into his cavity. Grazing the sides with his fangs lightly, he increased the pressure with which he orally tugged upon her, thinking for the millionth time how lucky his pups would be. Releasing the nipple with a gentle bite, which he was sure to soothe with several loving strokes of his rough tongue, the Taiyoukai repeated his actions on the opposite breast before nuzzling his face in between the pair.

Kagome, gasping at the feel of his hot breath fanning across the sensitive skin located between the valley of her breasts, then writhed violently as she felt his assault move lower to the flat plains of her stomach. Muscles twitching at light touches he bestowed upon her, the miko groaned in what she had hoped would clearly tell him to hurry up. Apparently, it did not. Already feeling her feminine juices seeping from her heated center, she bucked against the torso of lord that was so conveniently situated above her only to receive a reprimanding bite on the side of her smooth stomach and the feeling of his massive hands forcing her hips down to the mattress once more with their powerful hold. Realizing that she was now quite a bit more comfortable with her body's natural reactions to such touches than she had been when she had first arrived at the palace moon, the miko felt no shame in groaning her protest as the talented tongue skipped over the area of her which called to it the most. All feelings ceasing for a brief moment, she opened her eyes to receive a look that plainly stated that she was not to move. Sighing, she nodded her acceptance to him and waited for his next actions.

Finally satisfied that the moaning priestess had waited long enough for his touch, lifted his dangerously clawed hands, brining them down to the foot of the futon with his as he slowly began to lick long, lavish trails up her muscled calves to the sensitive flesh on the inside of her knees. Needing to completely cover her lower region in his scent as to ward off other males that might think of approaching her, Sesshomaru took his time slowly smothering the inside of her creamy thighs with tiny kisses, lick and nips all the while avoiding the part of her he knew to be the most wanting. Presently, his own arousal had come in such full force that he found himself grinding his rock hard length against the side of the mattress in a futile attempt at some slight relief.

Propping herself up on her forearms and giving a very good imitative growl much like a female inu demon, Kagome caught the golden eyes of the amused the male situated on her lower body and shot him a warning glare before lowering herself once again to the soft, feathered mattress. At the nearly instant feel of his heated breath across her soaked nether lips, the miko felt her hips buck upward instinctively in a short jerky manner. Quick to pick up the warning growl that was being sent her way by an overly domineering western lord, she swiftly shot back a grunt of her own, gruff impatience. After several more moments of torture, the priestess finally felt the light strokes of the demon lord's moist tongue at the very outer most edges of her sex. Silently gasping as she felt him nudge her feminine lips apart with his nose and inhale deeply, the miko actually let out a startled yelp of pleasure as she felt the rough, warm flesh on his tongue graze the inside of her flower.

Enjoying this sensual torture all too much, the western lord took his grand old time finding his way to the small pleasure nub he knew to so fervently be seeking his attention. Deciding that his female had gone through enough torture for the moment and reassured by the fact that he would have the rest of eternity to play such games with her, he began to lightly drum his rough tongue against her pearl. Impatient himself to once again taste the girl's sweet juices, he was abrupt in the action of jamming his long, distinctively canine tongue into the girl's writhing passage without warning. Loving the element of surprise, he twisted his pink, oral muscles about, massaging the inside of her sex avidly. Sesshomaru, who was so completely lost in his own pleasure which he was deriving from such a sensual action, soon ceased to care as the miko's hips thrust themselves toward him and her blunt human claws tangled themselves in his silky, silver hair. Aware that his mate was about to topple of the edge of ecstasy, the dog prince was quick to plunge a long, slender finger into her tight passage, moving his mouth only slightly higher. The exact second she climaxed, Sesshomaru replaced his fingers with his mouth, greedily slurping up any and all of her juices, wanting nothing to be wasted.

Mind reeling in an instinctual red haze, the inu youkai waited briefly until his mate stilled, taking a few short moments to listen to her panting before selfishly plunging two clawed fingers carefully back into her hot sheath. Bringing his mouth down once more, he was oblivious to the tears of pain that mingled with the pleasure radiating from his mate. All he knew at that moment was that he wished for more, needed more. At that time Kami help him he would have slaughtered thousands simply to be able to taste the delicious fluid that was forever his and his alone. Gulping swiftly the fluid that flowed from her opening once more, the demon lord finally found himself sated enough to return to at least a semi normal state of mind. Sensitive pointed ears picking up the distinct sound of sobs from above him, he tossed himself up stretched alongside his mate and pulled her to him. Honestly worried he asked, "Koi, did this Sesshomaru hurt you? Are you injured?"

Shaking her head vigorously from side to side in a negative, the miko finally managed to get a hold of her own faculties and let out a shaky sigh, all the while clinging to the still clothed form of the inu. Presently realizing that she was the only one in the nude her naïve embarrassment flowed through her once again as she answered, "N-no, you didn't. It was j-just amazing." Hearing his relieved, hearty chuckle she disentangled herself from his form, fully intent on letting him know that this was not a laughing matter when her eyes were suddenly caught on the huge bulge, forming a very erect tent in the lord's traditional white hakama pants. Being a virgin, she didn't truly know that much about men and their sexual needs, but what she did know was that it could be painful if not taken care of. Suddenly feeling awful that she had acted so selfishly she boldly shoved the lord flat on his back before straddling him determinedly.

Deciding to momentarily repress his need to assert himself as the alpha for a few moments to see what his bitch was doing, the dog lord was pleasantly surprised as she small, feminine hands slipped under the silken folds of his haori and began to lightly trace the well distinguished outline of his abdominal muscles. Grinding his teeth at the pleasant sensation surging its way through him directly from his twitching stomach muscles, he was compliant as the girl gently lifted off his shirts and tossed them in a heap with her own. Watching as she inquisitively lowered herself to his chest, gently licking at his hard male nipple, he thanked the Kamis for the millionth time for having blessed him with such a wonderful female.

Repeating the attentions the inu had given her earlier, Kagome laved sweet kisses and gently licks across his chest, loving the feel of the taught muscles convulsing under her light touches. Upon reaching the edge of his visible skin, the girl sat up slowly, carefully untying the tightly bound blue and yellow obi from his lean waist before shimmying down his body carefully and pulling his hakamas completely away, letting them drop without a care. Slipping his leather boots off a bit shakily, the miko was met with quite a sight as she once again afforded Sesshomaru her complete attention. Before her, standing proud in all of its glory was the manhood of the western lord. Larger than she remembered it, she was quick to take in the angry red coloration of the shaft and the deep purple hue of the bulbous head. Taking a deep breath and spreading his thighs with a gentle insistence, the miko laid herself on her stomach, timidly reaching toward the aching organ before her.

Hissing the second her comparatively cool hands came into contact with his burning shaft, Sesshomaru almost immediately let loose a feral growl, demanding more of the girl's touch. However, all he felt was the sensation of her loosely fisted fingers shifting up and down across him, every so often spreading lightly across his weeping head. Finding that each time he would buck his hips towards her in an effort to cause a more intense, pleasurable friction that she would pull away Sesshomaru soon found himself wishing with all of his might that he had not been so ruthless in his early explorations. Now, though, there was no way he was going to lose this game; he would show her he could take whatever she gave him…or at least he hoped.

Finding the sight of the squirming demon sprawled before her rather comical to say the least, Kagome decided that she would show him some mercy, thus tightening her grip on his erect cock and jerking his shortly. Quite aware of the grunts of pleasure and demanding growls that were echoing above her, the tiny female reached down timidly and lightly palmed the lord's sensitive sac. Immediately feeling his balls tighten and shaft stiffen even further, she leaned down teasing and blew a few heated streams of air across his sensitive tip. Startled by his sudden pained whimper she glanced up at the agonized look on his normally stoic countenance and decided that he had been through quite enough.

Smirking to himself as he felt her wet, warm tongue trailing across his shaft he gave himself a mental round of applause. He knew his bitch too well and the second she had seen his 'pain' he had gotten his wishes. Hm, perhaps her merciful nature wasn't such a bad thing after all. No longer able to form coherent thoughts as the strong sucking sensation shot directly through his entire being, it wasn't long before the lord of the west had a tight grip on his mate's head and was instantly and repeatedly shoving his swollen length down her open, welcoming throat. Produced not only by the feelings she was inciting but also the extremely arousing sight her head provided while bobbing up and down between his parted thighs, he could feel himself loosing it. His already slim grip on rationality was slipping quickly and the second he filled the girl's mouth with his warm, salty seed he was gone.

Amber eyes having finally bled crimson, he let loose a guttural growl, alerting the female of his presence. Noticing her stiffen as she began to sit up, yet still being able to sense her heavy arousal floating through the air he shot her a look, telling her clearly that she was not to raise herself above him. Loosing no time in positioning himself behind the female who was now spread before him, standing on all fours like a true bitch should for their mate, he took a second to observe her. Hm, before he had been in a controlled state and had only caught glimpses of her from inside his master and his own brief experience with the girl, now however she right here before him…and she was perfect. The female was powerful, beautiful and would most certainly bare them strong pups. Yes, this was the only female he would ever claim, the only female that would know his touch.

A bit shocked at the sudden transformation, the miko turned her head from the very dog like position she found herself to presently be in and glance back at the feral lord. It was odd though, although she distinctly knew that she should fear this side of Sesshomaru she did not. Perhaps she was simply being too trusting yet again, but whatever it was she felt sure that neither side of her mate would ever hurt her. Snapped out of her thoughts by a stinging slap to her rear end, Kagome let out a squeal of pain, only then remembering the advice she had been given one of the first days of her arrival. This Sesshomaru ran completely on instincts, looking him in the eyes was challenging him. Whimpering a bit in what she hoped he would understand as an apology, she lowered her head and stilled herself.

Pleased at his mate's quick and complete recognition of her actions, he let out a content rumbling growl, letting her know that all was forgiven yet reminding her that she was not to forget her place again. Leaning forward as to cage her smaller form within the confines of his own, he braced himself on one arm before reaching backwards to position himself at the girl's opening. Placing his other hand down as well, he latched his elongated fangs onto the back of neck, telling her to give him her full submission and trust before pushing forward the slightest bit. Growling in pleasure at the solid reassurance or her innocence or snarling savagely at the knowledge she belonged to him, he knew not which, he gave the girl one last reassuring nip and plunged himself into her, fully sheathing himself in one powerful thrust.

Letting out a ragged gasp at the painful sensation of her hymen being torn apart, the miko stilled waiting for the pain to wear away. Thanking all the Kamis that the demon above her had stilled as well, she waited a few long moments before pushing back against him, for the first time feeling completely whole. Above her a panting demon lord began his well timed thrusts, each accentuated with a slow grinding of his hips. Literally barking his pleasure at their joining, he glanced beneath him and smiled through his lengthened fangs. Hm, yes, this was the female that was meant for him. Suddenly aware of her backward thrusts and nearly inaudible pleas for more he leaned down to her ear further and bit out, "Who?"

Confused and not truly even able to concentrate on his question it took the miko a few moments before she responded, "Who what?"

Snarling he thrust himself into her more viciously wanting to prove a point, "Who do you belong to?"

Not even wanting, or for that matter daring, to argue with him at this moment she answered, "Y-you."

Momentarily raising himself to his knees, never once breaking his rhythm, the western lord roared his pleasure. Slamming himself back down, he placed his fangs alongside the girl's neck, knowing that this was the spot in which she would forever wear his mark. Able to feel himself swelling as he began the journey over the edge, he made a point of reaching underneath their coupling forms and pinching the girl's hidden nub, bringing her to the brink with him. Thrusting once more he whispered, "Say my name, bitch!" As he bit into her tender flesh and released his seed in lengthy, warm streams.

Kagome, who had found release as well, soon found herself spooning with the great lord of the west, his lethal fangs still latched firmly cross her neck. Whimpering as the pain started becoming a reality for her, she was relieved to feel him withdraw and begin to languidly lick the blood away from her wound before nuzzling his nose into her neck. Moving a bit as to dislodge him from her sex, she was nearly jumped out of her skin at the growl the rumbled behind her. "Mate, do not move. This Sesshomaru is a canine and as such has knotted with you. If you remain still the swelling will go down and you will be free. It is simply a precaution as to insure the greatest chance of your impregnation."

Modesty still flowing through her, the miko blushed at his blunt words. Sighing she relaxed herself into his hold and thought, 'this is it.' She was mated to Sesshomaru forever. Never in a million years, or more precisely five hundred, would she have thought this, any of this, to be possible. But now, she wouldn't have it any other way. They would always have their differences and they would always argue, but she knew they would make it. After all, as thorough believer in fate she was quite satisfied that this was how things were meant to be. Turning her sleepy gaze to demon behind her she spoke softly, "I love you Sesshomaru, I really do."

Tightening his grip on the little female in his arms the western lord propped his chin atop her raven head thinking, 'this is it.' This was what he had been after for years and now that he had it, he was still blown away. Just the knowledge that such a kind, wonderful female could love such a cold demon as himself made him rethink everything. Perhaps it was time to change his world a bit and become a bit more personable. Snorting mentally to himself he added, 'or perhaps not.' Either way he knew that with this female, his Kagome that he would be content for the rest of his days. For the first time in his life feeling no reason to hide his true feelings he whispered, "And this Sesshomaru loves you Kagome." Hearing her peaceful sigh at his words he soon found himself listening to her deep, measured breathing. Closing his own glowing amber eyes he settled himself for rest as well but not before smiling, genuinely smiling into the darkness. "Yes, Kagome, this Sesshomaru loves. Without a doubt."

A/N: Wow, well there you have it the finale of Without a Doubt. Part of me is sad its over having been my first extended fiction and all but a part of is ready to move onto a new project. I've been thinking about it and I have finally picked the plot that I'm going to work with for my next story. I'd ask you to please check back in a week or two if I haven't already posted my first chapter. Thanks for everything, you've all been great!


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